3.2.2. Syllable reduction
Some signs involve two movements repeated in sequence, thus they are made of two syllables. When disyllabic signs are included in compound constructions, they may lose one syllable, i.e. lose one movement. Such phonological process is called syllable reduction.
An example of a disyllabic sign in LIS is the verb eat. In its citation form, it is articulated as a flat closed 5 handshape moving toward the chin with a repeated movement.
eat
When combined with the aspectual marker done, eat may undergo syllable reduction and hence be articulated with one movement only.
eat^done
‘Eaten’
If we compare these two examples, eat included in the compounded construction differs from its citation form in that it is articulated as a monosyllabic sign.
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