Creation of a multipurpose sign language lexical resource: The GSL lexicon database

The GSL lexicon database is the first extensive database of Greek Sign Language (GSL) signs, created on the basis of knowledge derived from the linguistic analysis of natural signers' data. It incorporates a lemma list that currently includes approximately 6,000 entries and is intended to reach a total number of 10,000 entries within the next two years. The design of the database allows for classification of signs on the basis of their articulation features as regards both manual and non-manual elements. The adopted information management schema accompanying each entry provides for retrieval according to a variety of linguistic properties. In parallel, annotation of the full set of sign articulation features feeds more natural performance of synthetic signing engines and more effective treatment of sign language (SL) data in the framework of sign recognition and natural language processing.