An analysis of the phonological system of the set of haptemes employed in deafblind communication in Brazil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31513/linguistica.2025.v21n1a66270Abstract
This article develops a phonological analysis of the Social Haptic Communication system employed with deafblind individuals in Brazil (abbreviated in Portuguese as CSHB), compiled by Canuto et al. (2019). Based on the research of Lahtinen (2008), Vilela (2018, 2022) and Volpato (2023), among others, the analysis aims to identify which parameters of tactile phonology (i.e. haptemes) are most frequently used, in which combinations, and what perceptual factors and contexts of use may condition their distribution. After developing a spreadsheet classifying all of the haptices listed in Canuto et al. (2019), we quantified the frequency of each handshape configuration as a hapteme. We also discuss minimal pairs, phonological dependencies between haptemes, and the importance of tactile perception in this ‘phonology of touch’ used during communication with deafblind individuals.
Keywords: Phonological systems. Social Haptic Communication. Deafblindness. Haptices. Haptemes.
Downloads
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Revista Linguí∫tica

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish in the Revista Linguí∫tica agree with the following terms:
The authors maintain their rights, ceding to the journal the right to first publication of the article, simultaneously submitted to a Creative Commons license permitting the sharing with third-parties of published content as long as it mentions the author and its first publication in the Revista Linguí∫tica.
Authors may enter into additional agreements for the non-exclusive distribution of their published work (for example, posting in online institutional or non-profit repositories, or book chapters) so long as they acknowledge its initial publication in the Revista Linguí∫tica.

The journal Revista Linguí∫tica is published by the Post-Graduate program in Linguistics of UFRJ and employs a Creative Commons - Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC-BY-NC).






