Sign Language Sign Language Grammar and Syntax 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does 'mouth morpheme' refer to in ASL?
- Fingerspelling words silently
- Mouth movements that carry adverbial or adjectival meaning (Correct answer)
- Lip-reading spoken English
- Mouthing words while signing
Correct answer: Mouth movements that carry adverbial or adjectival meaning
Mouth morphemes are specific mouth movements (not mouthed English words) that convey meaning such as degree, manner, or intensity.
Question 2: In ASL, how is negation typically expressed?
- By signing the letter N
- By shaking the head 'no' while signing (Correct answer)
- By signing NOT before every verb
- By reversing the direction of the sign
Correct answer: By shaking the head 'no' while signing
Negation in ASL is most naturally expressed by shaking the head side-to-side simultaneously with the signed content being negated.
Question 3: What is 'role shift' in ASL storytelling?
- Changing the topic of a conversation
- Shifting body and gaze to take on the perspective of different characters (Correct answer)
- Switching between spoken and signed language
- Using different handshapes for the same concept
Correct answer: Shifting body and gaze to take on the perspective of different characters
Role shift involves the signer shifting their body posture, gaze, and expression to inhabit a character's perspective during a narrative.
Question 4: How does ASL show that an action is ongoing or continuous?
- By repeating the sign rapidly
- By adding a specific suffix sign
- By moving the sign in a circular motion (Correct answer)
- By mouthing 'continuous' while signing
Correct answer: By moving the sign in a circular motion
Many ASL verbs can be modified to show ongoing action by adding a continuous circular movement to the sign.
Question 5: What is the function of 'directionality' in ASL verbs?
- It shows the speed of an action
- It indicates the subject and object of a verb through movement direction (Correct answer)
- It marks the tense of a verb
- It distinguishes between questions and statements
Correct answer: It indicates the subject and object of a verb through movement direction
Directional verbs move from the location of the subject to the location of the object, encoding subject-object relationships in one movement.
Question 6: Which of the following is a correct description of ASL sentence structure for conditional sentences?
- IF clause signed first with raised brows, then THEN clause (Correct answer)
- THEN clause signed first, then IF clause
- Both clauses signed simultaneously
- Conditional sentences do not exist in ASL
Correct answer: IF clause signed first with raised brows, then THEN clause
In ASL, conditional sentences start with the 'if' clause (marked by raised brows and often a slight lean) followed by the 'then' clause.
Sign Language Sign Language Grammar and Syntax 2
What does 'mouth morpheme' refer to in ASL?