Análise da redução de parâmetros sinalizados na língua brasileira de sinais

Abstract

The deaf community has its own way of communicating through sign language, allowing them to fluently express themselves on various subjects at any given moment. However, understanding some signs may be compromised if movements of the dominant hand and non-dominant hand are performed with the same hand. It becomes important to study the various ways of signaling that deaf individuals use in conversation, recognizing conditioned signs. This work focuses on research in the field of phonology and phonetics of Libras (Brazilian Sign Language), aiming to analyze the reduction of Libras parameters, specifically regarding hand movements, with fluent deaf informants from Fortaleza, Florianópolis, and Maceió. Referential authors in the field of Linguistics and Libras, such as Stokoe (1960), Xavier (2011; 2014), Quadros and Karnopp (2004), and Gripp (2010), are used as theoretical basis. Methodologically, we use the ELAN software for transcription and analysis of interviews, linked to glosses of each sign with hand reduction. Three categories of interview analysis were conducted in ELAN within the scope of the Libras Corpus project: (1) Reduction of signs with dominant and non-dominant hand on the face/facial expression, (2) Reduction in neutral space and contextualization of signs, and (3) Reduction of hands in finger spelling in Libras. In the first category, it is observed that there are no established rules for facial expression in reducing the communication structure or in the speed of movements. In the second category, deaf informants use mouth articulations to aid in memory recall and sign comprehension, even when there are reductions, maintaining clarity in facial expression. In the third category, reductions in letters of names in finger spelling in Libras are observed, demonstrating a different relationship between Portuguese and Libras. We conclude that it is possible to use only one hand while the other is occupied holding objects, even if there is a reduction in communication speed for contextualizing the subject. The deaf community does not feel hindered in communication, and it is not mandatory to accompany signs with both hands for a dialogue to be understandable. Furthermore, the reduction of some parameters is a natural linguistic characteristic, especially during simultaneous conversations.