Tegnklasser

Tegnklasser, or classifier signs, are a term used in the study of sign languages to refer to a grammatical and lexical category of signs built from handshapes and movements that encode information about size, shape, location, and action. They are distinct from lexical signs, which have fixed form and meaning; classifier signs are more flexible and often iconic, drawing on visual similarity to referents.

In use, tegnklasser represent classes of referents—such as persons, animals, containers, or vehicles—and can indicate properties like size or shape. They can also express motion and spatial relations by altering movement and placement in space relative to the signer. A single classifier sign can convey complex information that might require several words in a spoken language.

Classification systems vary across sign languages but share core ideas: a handshape marks a class, movement conveys action, and location signals where something is or occurs. Many languages maintain a repertoire of standard classifier handshapes, while others adapt or expand them.

In linguistic descriptions, tegnklasser are treated as a grammatical resource integral to sign languages, analyzed within morphology, syntax, and semantics. They contribute to fluency, production, and comprehension, and are a focal point in sign-language education and cross-cultural communication.

See also: Sign language, Classifier in sign languages, Norwegian Sign Language, Deaf culture, Sign linguistics.