Expressing Plural Meaning in Flemish Sign Language (VGT) - Plural in VGT - Overall results

Sep 11, 2026

Explores how plural meaning is expressed in Flemish Sign Language (VGT) through noun and nominal signs, detailing possible plural formation strategies and their distribution. The study identifies citation-form changes via manual modifications (reduplication or double articulation for dualis), non-manual modifications, addition of lexical or productive classifier constructions, and signs with inherent plural meaning. It also reports alternative strategy combinations, including coordinated noun phrases and adjective phrases, classifier predicates, and modified verb reduplication/double articulation. The analysis links plural expression with context and obligatory forms.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPosters

FormatPDF

Pages1

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Plural in VGT

Possible forms of plural formation

Overall results

Important findings

Methodology

References

| EXPRESSING plural meaning in Flemish Sign Language (VGT)
Isabelle Heyerick(a), Mieke Van Braeckevelt (a), Danny De Weerdt (a,b), Mieke Van Herreweghe (a,c), Myriam
Vermeerbergen (a,d)
(a) Flemish Sign Language Centre,(b) University of Jyväskylä,(c) Ghent University,(d) University College Lessius & K.U. Leuven | | --- | |
Introduction
Plural in VGT

Possible forms of plural formation Ways of expressing plural meaning
4 research questions:
1. Which are the possible forms of plural formation of noun signs in VGT?
2. Do particular noun signs have different possible plurals?
3. Which form of pluralisation is the preferred one in which context?
4. Are certain plural forms obligatory in certain contexts?

Overall results
Possible forms of plural formation of nominal signs in VGT: 1. The citation form of the sign is changed
1.1. By changing the manual part of the sign: reduplication or double articulation (only to express dualis) phonological restrictions
1.2. By changing the non-manual part of the sign 2. A sign is added
2.1. A lexical sign from the established VGT lexicon is added: a cardinal number TWO MONKEY TWO another quantifier MANY VARIOUS BIKE a collective sign FAR GROUP BIRD FLY
2.2. A sign from the productive lexicon : a classifier construction
SOLDIER THREE “holding_gun” THREE CL “person”+++ a non-established collective sign STONE“pile”
2.3. A pointing sign/ sweep COW ps “there”++++
CANDY sweep 3. The sign has an inherent plural meaning: CHILDREN, CHIPS

VGT sign CHIPS

Important findings
! Alternative strategies used ! Combinations of all strategies
in order to EXPRESS plural meaning
1. Coordinated noun phrase YOUNG SHEEP OLD SHEEP
2. Coordinated adjective phrase CAR BLUE LEFT YELLOW RIGHT
3. A classifier predicate
CAR “cars_drive_fast_and_park”

definite amount-cardinal number

indefinite amount
-quantifier
-collective sign

definite & locative
-CL construction
-pointing sign
-non-established collective

indefinite & locative
-CL construction pointing sign/ sweep
-non-established collective

4. Modified verb sign : reduplication or double articulation (dualis) PAN HANG++++++

Classifier predicate expressing notion of plurality
CAR “cars_drive_fast_and_park”
TEMPLATE DESIGN © 2008
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Methodology

49 informants representing the 5 regional variants in VGT complying with:
-early acquisition of VGT
-education in a deaf school (at least at primary school level)
-daily usage of VGT (e.g. with parents, with partner, in the family, at work)
-active membership of the Flemish Deaf
community
Elicitation materials:156 pictures of 39 objects (each object 4 pictures)

one object is displayed two objects are displayed

+ 2 films
*commercial with cars

* cartoon with birds

a countable number of objects is displayed

an non-countable number of objects is displayed
DV camera above hands of signer

Deaf researcher

DV camera, frontal view of signer

DV camera, frontal by the recipient. view of recipient

References
Harder, Rita, Koolhof, Corline & Schermer, Trude. 2003. Meervoud in de NGT. Verslag van een onderzoek in het kader van OCWsubsidie 2003. NederlandsGebarencentrum.
Heyerick, Isabelle, Van Braeckevelt, Mieke, De Weerdt, Danny, Van Herreweghe, Mieke & Vermeerbergen, Myriam. 2009. Plural Formation in Flemish Sign language. Vlaams GebarentaalCentrum vzw. (unpublished)
Kubuș , Okan. 2008. An Analysis of Turkish Sign Language (TİD) Phonology and Morphology. Mastersverhandeling, Middle East Technical University.
Pfau, Roland & Steinbach, Markus. 2006. Pluralization in Sign and Speech: A Cross-Modal Typological Study. In Linguistic Typology 10: 135 – 182.
Van Herrewe

FAQs

What are the main plural formation strategies for noun signs in VGT?

Strategies include changing the citation form by modifying manual and/or non-manual components, adding a sign (lexical cardinal/quantifier, classifier construction, or pointing/sweep), or using signs with inherent plural meaning.

Are different noun signs able to use different plural forms in VGT?

The document’s research questions address whether particular noun signs have different possible plurals and which pluralization type is preferred in specific contexts.

How was the study conducted to elicit plural expressions?

It used 49 informants representing five regional variants, selected based on early VGT acquisition, education in a deaf school, daily VGT use, and active membership in the Flemish Deaf community. Elicitation used picture materials of 39 objects (156 pictures) and included films.

Sep 11, 2026

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