EIPA - Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment Linguistic Principles in ASL Questions and Answers

Question 1

In ASL, establishing a noun and then using pointing or indexing to a specific location in the signing space to refer back to that noun is known as:

Accepted Answer

Pronominalization

Answer

Topicalization

Answer

Classifier usage

Answer

Spatial mapping

Question 2

A student is telling a story in ASL about their dog. They sign DOG, then use a 'bent-V' handshape to show the dog sitting, then running, then jumping over a fence. The use of the 'bent-V' handshape to represent the dog and its actions is an example of what linguistic feature?

Accepted Answer

Semantic Classifier

Answer

Descriptive Classifier

Answer

Instrument Classifier

Answer

Locative Classifier

Question 3

Which of the following sentences best demonstrates the ASL grammatical principle of topicalization?

Accepted Answer

STORE, ME GO-TO

Answer

ME GO-TO STORE

Answer

WHY YOU GO-TO STORE

Answer

ME FINISH GO-TO STORE

Question 4

An interpreter observes a Deaf student signing a sentence. The student's manual signs are neutral, but their eyebrows are lowered and their head is tilted forward. These non-manual markers most likely indicate the student is asking a:

Accepted Answer

WH-question (who, what, where, etc.)

Answer

Yes/No question

Answer

Rhetorical question

Answer

Conditional statement

Question 5

During a science lesson, a teacher explains that a plant is on the left side of the room and a window is on the right. A student then signs about the plant getting sunlight from the window. The interpreter notices the student consistently signs PLANT on their left side and WINDOW on their right. This demonstrates the student's use of:

Accepted Answer

Spatial referencing

Answer

Directional verbs

Answer

Classifier predicates

Answer

Role shifting

Question 6

Which of the following is the primary grammatical function of non-manual markers (NMMs) in ASL?

Accepted Answer

To convey syntactic information and modify meaning

Answer

To provide emotional emphasis only

Answer

To replace the need for manual signs

Answer

To indicate the signer's personal opinion