Social evaluation of variation in NZSL

Digital technology has allowed NZSL informative texts to be shared online for unknown audiences, prompting development of a modern genre akin to ‘broadcast’ style. Our research compared the use of certain variants in online posts compared to face-to-face conversation, such as doubling of one-handed signs and open-handed vs index-finger pointing. We explore Deaf signers’ perceptions of the sociopragmatic impact of these features.