Iconicity

The iconic it is a characteristic of the languages of the signs that indicates the ability to represent visually a concept or an idea through a sign that recalls the shape or the appearance of the object or of the action represented. In other words, the iconic refers to the ability to use signs that recall the object or the action represented, making the communication more clear and immediate. For example, in sign language, the sign for “eat” may not invoke the gesture of bringing the food to the mouth, or the sign for “horse” may call up the shape of the horse itself. The iconic is a distinctive feature of the language of signs, and its presence varies between the different languages of the signs. The iconic character makes the sign language a means of communication, a highly effective and visually appealing, and allows deaf people to express themselves in a more complete and accurate than the single-verbal communication.