ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the organization of linguistic units that are smaller than a word, that is, phonology. It also discusses "prosody" in sign languages – this is the area of phonology that connects to syntax, including rhythm and intonation. The chapter presents the question of whether sign languages have the equivalent of syllables, which can be considered one of the fundamental organizing units of phonology. Prosody contributes a lot to how a language "sounds" – it provides rhythm and intonation, turning declarative sentences into questions and putting the emphasis on the right syllable. The most interesting case is the way that intonation is conveyed in sign languages: through nonmanual markers. The syllable is an important organizing unit in spoken languages. Many phonological processes apply based on where a sound is in a syllable. Syllables are also important for metalinguistic phenomena such as poetry and literacy.
