SL CatForm coding schema v.1: A field-based phonological coding for sign languages

This report describes a coding schema for sign language phonological form, called the SL CatForm coding schema, and an ordered string of the coding values, called the SL CatForm String. This schema has been designed to facilitate computational analyses of sign language phonology, while at the same time being grounded in an analysis of attested phonological patterns in sign languages. Originally created using data from one sign language, Kenyan Sign Language (KSL), it has been evaluated against two other unrelated sign languages and can accommodate modifications at the level of both feature types and individual feature values. This report contains: (i) a glossary of terms; (ii) a background; (iii) an overview of the schema structure, and (iv) short descriptions of the 42 variables in the current schema and the values in each variable. These are grouped by the type of formational domain: articulator, handshape, orientation, location, core movement, manner of movement. The report is also accompanied by a CSV file of all the variables and their values.