This study investigates how adult learners acquire linguistically contrastive movement patterns in Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS), focusing on the telic/atelic distinction predicted by the Event Visibility Hypothesis. Telic verbs (bounded events) are produced by proficient Deaf signers with shorter duration and temporally precise, low-entropy velocity profiles, whereas atelic verbs (unbounded processes) show more continuous motion. Using 3D motion capture (300 Hz), we compared 8 novice learners (6–12 weeks of instruction) with 6 proficient Deaf signers across 71 verbs. Linear mixed-effects models revealed a dissociation between gross movement patterning and fine-grained velocity profile structure in learner productions. Learners correctly reproduced the proportional path-length contrast between telic and atelic verbs, replicating the gross spatial distinction of proficient signers. However, temporal marking of the telic/atelic contrast was underproduced: learners showed a significantly smaller duration difference between verb types than proficient signers, while total path length did not differ significantly between verb types or groups. Temporal control showed significant between-group differences: learners exhibited elevated sample entropy, with non-proficient velocity profiles within individual sign productions, though spatial consistency across trials (STI) was comparable to that of proficient signers. Peak velocity did not differ between groups, suggesting that learners can reach target speeds but cannot yet modulate temporal structure reliably. These findings support distinct learning trajectories for gross movement patterning and fine-grained motion complexity, and demonstrate that velocity profile structure within signs constitutes a core linguistic target in sign language learning.

Across a number of sign languages, temporal and spatial characteristics of dominant hand articulation are used to express semantic and grammatical features. In this study of Austrian Sign Language (Österreichische Gebärdensprache, or ÖGS), motion capture data of four Deaf signers is used to quantitatively characterize the kinematic parameters of sign production in verbs and adjectives. We investigate (1) the difference in production between verbs involving a natural endpoint (telic verbs; e.g. arrive) and verbs lacking an endpoint (atelic verbs; e.g. analyze), and (2) adjective signs in intensified vs. non-intensified (plain) forms. Motion capture data analysis using linear-mixed effects models (LME) indicates that both the endpoint marking in verbs, as well as marking of intensification in adjectives, are expressed by movement modulation in ÖGS. While the semantic distinction between verb types (telic/atelic) is marked by higher peak velocity and shorter duration for telic signs compared to atelic ones, the grammatical distinction (intensification) in adjectives is expressed by longer duration for intensified compared to non-intensified adjectives. The observed individual differences of signers might be interpreted as personal signing style.