Linguistic Principles in ASL Flashcards

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:

Answer: Pronominalization

Pronominalization in ASL involves using indexing (pointing) to a specific point in space to represent a noun that has already been introduced. This allows the signer to refer back to the noun (person, place, or thing) without repeatedly signing it, functioning similarly to pronouns in spoken languages.

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?

Answer: Semantic Classifier

A Semantic Classifier (SCL) is a handshape that represents a category of nouns, such as people or vehicles. In this case, the 'bent-V' handshape is a common SCL used to represent an animal or a person in a seated position, and its movement shows the actions of that noun.

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

Answer: STORE, ME GO-TO

Topicalization is a common sentence structure in ASL where the topic of the sentence is established first, often accompanied by raised eyebrows, followed by the comment. In 'STORE, ME GO-TO', the location (STORE) is the topic, and the comment is that the signer is going there.

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:

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

In ASL, furrowed or lowered eyebrows, along with other non-manual markers like a forward head tilt, are grammatically required to mark a WH-question (who, what, when, where, why, how). Yes/No questions, in contrast, are marked with raised eyebrows.

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:

Answer: Spatial referencing

Spatial referencing, or spatial mapping, is a core feature of ASL where signers use specific locations in the signing space to represent people, places, or things. By establishing the plant on the left and the window on the right, the student creates a visual map that maintains coherence and tracks the relationship between the two nouns.

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

Answer: To convey syntactic information and modify meaning

While non-manual markers can convey emotion, their primary linguistic role is grammatical. They are essential for conveying syntactic structures like questions, negations, conditional clauses, and topicalization, fundamentally altering the meaning of a sentence. They work in conjunction with, not in place of, manual signs.