ASL Instructor Linguistics & Grammar — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a key feature of ASL grammar that differs from English?
- Word order always follows Subject-Verb-Object
- ASL follows a topic-comment structure (Correct answer)
- There is no grammatical structure in ASL
- ASL relies only on spoken word order
Correct answer: ASL follows a topic-comment structure
ASL uses topic-comment structure, meaning the topic is established first, followed by a comment or description.
Question 2: Which of the following is NOT an ASL linguistic parameter?
- Handshape
- Tone of voice (Correct answer)
- Movement
- Facial expressions
Correct answer: Tone of voice
The five main linguistic parameters of ASL are handshape, movement, location, palm orientation, and non-manual markers.
Question 3: What is the role of facial expressions in ASL grammar?
- They are only for emotion and have no grammatical role
- They function as grammatical markers (Correct answer)
- They replace hand movements
- They are optional and rarely used
Correct answer: They function as grammatical markers
Facial expressions serve as grammatical markers in ASL, indicating tone, questions, or sentence structure.
Question 4: How does ASL indicate verb tense?
- By adding suffixes to verbs
- By using time indicators at the start of a sentence (Correct answer)
- By changing the order of the subject and verb
- By speaking while signing
Correct answer: By using time indicators at the start of a sentence
ASL uses time indicators at the beginning of a sentence rather than verb conjugation to express past, present, and future tenses.
Question 5: What does ASL primarily rely on for meaning?
- Spoken words alongside signs
- Hand movements, facial expressions, and body language (Correct answer)
- Written text
- Only hand movements with no expressions
Correct answer: Hand movements, facial expressions, and body language
ASL conveys meaning through a combination of signs, facial expressions, and body movements, making it a rich and visual language.
Question 6: What is the role of non-manual markers (NMM) in ASL?
- They are unnecessary in ASL communication
- They provide grammatical meaning and context (Correct answer)
- They only express emotion and have no grammar function
- They are used only for storytelling
Correct answer: They provide grammatical meaning and context
Non-manual markers, such as head tilts, brow movement, and mouth shapes, add grammatical meaning to ASL sentences.
ASL Instructor Linguistics & Grammar
What is a key feature of ASL grammar that differs from English?