Structural and Social Factors in the Formation of Japanese Sign Language (JSL) Toponyms

Abstract: Through an analysis of a database of roughly 900 Japanese Sign Language (JSL) toponyms, this study undertakes an examination of social and structural factors that potentially shape JSL sign language toponym outputs. The two structural factors examined are the tendency for toponyms to index semantically transparent source morphemes, and the possible production of output constraints based on the phonological complexity of the output. The two social factors examined are the influence of proximity to deaf schools and population density. The investigation finds the tests for social influences inconclusive pending further qualitative evidence; however, an investigation of the current ethnographic literature shows, for the most part, that literacy acts as an essential, although perhaps insufficient condition for spreading exonyms, signs that index the written or spoken source name. One of the tests for structural factors provides quantitative evidence for the tendency of JSL toponyms to favor indexation to semantically transparent segments. This work contributes significantly to the etiological understanding of toponym production across sign languages.