A Grammar of Sign Language of the Netherlands (NGT)

A phonological utterance (PU) is a prosodic domain that covers the whole utterance and, thus, always consists of one or multiple of the above-mentioned units. There is actually no proof that this level is relevant for sign languages, by which we mean that there is no indication yet that the markers of a phonological utterance would be different from markers of the intonational phrase; therefore, the description we offer here is preliminary. The end of sentences in general can be marked by a handshape hold, syllable repetitions, lowering of the hands, strong movements, and/or insertion of a dummy element such as an index or palm_up. Additionally, as can be seen in Example 7, the start of the utterance can also be marked by repeated signs, specifically to catch the attention of the interlocutor – in the example, the first-person pronoun ix₁. In the presented prosodic analysis, the phonological utterance consists of three intonational phrases, which in turn consist of a phonological phrase including two prosodic words. 

         mouth                        wij                                                        vrouw              

7.            h1              [[[[ix₁+ ix₁₊₃]_PW                                   [woman  ix₃ ]_PW]_PP]_IP

                h2              [[[[                    ]_PW                  [neighbor      ]_PW]_PP]_IP

                mouth         samen                         wandelen

                h1              [[[ix₁₊₃]_PW           [take_a_walk]_PW]_PP]_IP

                h2              [[[         ]_PW      [take_a_walk]_PW]_PP]_IP

                mouth          naar                                            bos

                h1              [[[to]_PW       [forest cl_{( )}:‘area’]_PW]_PP]_IP]_PU

                h2              [[[    ]_PW       [forest cl_{( )}:‘area’]_PW]_PP]_IP]_PU

                ‘My neighbor and I, we went for a walk together, to the forest.’

                (CNGT01484, S63, 00:03.970-00:11.460)

Translation of mouthings: we woman together take_a_walk to forest