This grammar of Kenyan Sign Language (KSL) phonology adds to a sparse literature on the units
of categorical form in the world's sign languages. At the same time it brings descriptive and
theoretical research on sign language phonology into better alignment by systematically
evaluating current models of sign language phonology for each of the main parameters -
handshape location and movement - against the KSL data. This grammar also makes a
methodological contribution by using a unique dataset of KSL minimal pairs in the analysis
demonstrating that minimal pairs are not as infrequent in sign languages as previously
thought.The main content of the book is found in five chapters on handshape location core
articulatory movement manner of movement and other distinctive features (e.g. orientation
mouth actions). The book also contains two large appendices that document the phonological
evidence for each of the 44 handshapes and 37 locations.This book will be a key reference for
descriptive and typological studies of sign phonology as well as a helpful resource for
linguists interested in understanding the similarities and differences between current models
of sign phonology and identifying promising avenues for future research.
