The Maltese sign language (LSM) variety of two deaf Maltese children : an analysis

Abstract

This study investigates the Maltese Sign Language (LSM) variety of two Deaf children. Since very little research has been carried out in this area, the aim of this study is to analyse the components which are simultaneously involved in the build-up of a sign in this variety. The two children are video-recorded signing a story to each other. The recordings are transcribed using Valerie Sutton's (1995) Sign Writing system. This signwriting system constitutes a major contribution to the present study, where it is used as a research tool to analyse the LSM variety of two Deaf children. Additional information has been added to the transcribed sign. These include mouth-patterns which correspond to spoken words and locations that indicate the structured use of space are also included by codifying the space used. The analysis of the data seem to indicate that the spoken component is an important and integral part of the sign. The spoken component does not always correspond to the Standard Spoken Maltese grammar. Furthermore spoken words seem to be used in their citation-forms. The manual and non-manual components are also integral parts of a sign in this variety of LSM. The grammar of this LSM variety appears to emerge in this component, rather than the spoken component.