ASL Linguistics Flashcards

The distinction between ASL 'GIVE' directed toward the signer versus away from the signer demonstrates which morphological feature?

Answer: Directional (agreement) verb inflection

Directional verbs in ASL move between subject and object loci in signing space, incorporating both subject and object agreement simultaneously.

Which non-manual signal in ASL marks a yes/no question?

Answer: Raised brows, widened eyes, and forward head tilt

Yes/no questions in ASL are marked by raised eyebrows, widened eyes, and a forward head tilt held through the question.

In ASL phonology, a 'minimal pair' differs in exactly:

Answer: One parameter only

A minimal pair in ASL consists of two signs that differ in exactly one phonological parameter, proving that parameter is contrastive.

The handshape used in the ASL number system from 1–5 and their role in classifier predicates best illustrates:

Answer: Iconicity and simultaneous morphological layering

Number handshapes double as classifiers representing thin objects or people, illustrating how iconic and morphological functions can co-exist in the same handshape.

What is the term for the process by which two ASL signs blend into a single form, as in DEAF + CULTURE becoming a single fluid sign?

Answer: Compounding

Compounding in ASL combines two or more signs into a single lexical item, often with phonological reductions such as loss of repeated movement.

Spatial grammar in ASL differs from English primarily because ASL:

Answer: Uses three-dimensional signing space to encode syntactic and semantic relationships

ASL uses the three-dimensional signing space to establish referents, show agreement, and encode spatial and grammatical relationships simultaneously.

Which aspect of ASL grammar is conveyed by prolonging and repeating the movement of a verb?

Answer: Aspectual inflection (e.g., continuative aspect)

Repeating and elongating a verb's movement in ASL marks continuative aspect, indicating an action is ongoing or habitual.