Phonemic status of the O handshape in Japanese Sign Language

This study investigates the phonemic status and unmarkedness of the O handshape in Japanese Sign Language (JSL).It analyzes the occurrence and distribution of the phonetic [O] handshape in comparison with handshapes that are phonetically similar to the O handshape.These include the fist handshape and handshapes where the base and/or non-base joints of the thumb and all four fingers are curved or bent to form a ring.The results challenge the conventional view that the O handshape functions as a full-fledged phoneme and an unmarked handshape in JSL.Our data reveal that the phonemic /O/ handshape is absent from the nondominant hand when both hands are involved with different handshapes (in so-called type 3).Additionally, a number of the [O] handshapes and those phonetically similar to the [O] handshape across other contexts can be regarded as realizations of the phonemic handshape /S/ in JSL.These findings challenge traditional perspectives on the unmarkedness of the /O/ handshape by demonstrating its structural complexity and infrequent occurrence, suggesting that it may not meet the criteria for unmarked status within JSL.These insights call for a reevaluation of markedness principles in sign language phonology.They also encourage further research to determine if similar patterns exist in other sign languages and their implications for phonological theory.