The study discussed here investigates phonological factors related to Weak Drop(one-handed realization of a two-handed sign) and Weak Prop (two-handed realizationof a one-handed sign) in German Sign Language by using a currently existing corpus of Institut of German Sign Language at Hamburg. The program iLex with which the corpus has been compiled allows researchers to conduct individual data retrievals by SQL queries. The present study eχploits special characteristics of the data and the data structure of the corpus such as type-token relations, HamNoSys notations for types as well as for token deviations, different kinds of data elicitation noted for each movie, different kinds of tiers and their relations and metadata on informants. The result shows that Battison’s　type 1 signs, non- alternating signs and signs without contact are more likely to have Weak Drop tokens than signs of other types, alternating signs and signs with contact, though there are some signs from the latter group which undergo Weak Drop. In addition, the distribution of the handedness of the preceding and the following signs of Weak Drop and Weak Prop turned out to deviate from the general distribution of one-handed and two-handed signs in the discourse. The result reveals that Weak Drop occurs more likely in the one-handed environment whereas Weak Prop occurs more likely in the two-handed environment.

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