Sign Language Facial Expressions and Non-Manual Markers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In ASL, what do non-manual markers (NMMs) primarily refer to?
- The movement of hands and arms
- Facial expressions, mouth movements, and body posture (Correct answer)
- The speed of signing
- The handshape used in a sign
Correct answer: Facial expressions, mouth movements, and body posture
Non-manual markers include facial expressions, eye gaze, mouth movements, head tilts, and body posture that add grammatical and linguistic information to ASL.
Question 2: Which facial expression is used to mark a yes/no question in ASL?
- Furrowed brows and forward head tilt
- Raised eyebrows and forward head tilt (Correct answer)
- Neutral expression with no head movement
- Squinted eyes and backward head lean
Correct answer: Raised eyebrows and forward head tilt
Yes/no questions in ASL are marked by raised eyebrows and a slight forward head tilt held throughout the question.
Question 3: What facial expression marks a wh- question (who, what, where, when, why, how) in ASL?
- Raised eyebrows
- Puffed cheeks
- Furrowed brows (Correct answer)
- Pursed lips
Correct answer: Furrowed brows
Wh- questions in ASL are marked by furrowed (lowered) brows, which contrasts with the raised eyebrows used for yes/no questions.
Question 4: In ASL, what does a 'puffed cheeks' non-manual marker typically indicate?
- That something is very small
- That something is large, heavy, or took a long time (Correct answer)
- Extreme happiness
- A question is being asked
Correct answer: That something is large, heavy, or took a long time
Puffed cheeks are a non-manual marker used to indicate something large, heavy, or that an action took a long time to complete.
Question 5: What grammatical role does eye gaze serve in ASL?
- It has no grammatical function
- It only shows emotions
- It can indicate reference, direct speech, and spatial agreement (Correct answer)
- It is used only to get a listener's attention
Correct answer: It can indicate reference, direct speech, and spatial agreement
Eye gaze in ASL serves grammatical functions including establishing reference points, indicating reported speech, and maintaining spatial agreement between signers.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of a non-manual marker indicating negation in ASL?
- Raised eyebrows while signing
- A sideways head shake produced simultaneously with the signed statement (Correct answer)
- Pointing to the floor
- Closing both eyes briefly
Correct answer: A sideways head shake produced simultaneously with the signed statement
A sideways head shake produced simultaneously with a sign or sentence is a non-manual marker that grammatically indicates negation in ASL.
Question 7: What does the 'mm' mouth morpheme in ASL typically indicate?
- Confusion or uncertainty
- Something done in a routine or matter-of-fact way (Correct answer)
- A question is being asked
- Extreme intensity or large size
Correct answer: Something done in a routine or matter-of-fact way
The 'mm' mouth morpheme (lips pressed gently together) indicates something done in a routine, normal, or unremarkable manner.
Sign Language Facial Expressions and Non-Manual Markers 1
In ASL, what do non-manual markers (NMMs) primarily refer to?