Home Linguistics & Semiotics Analyzing head nod expressions by L2 learners of Japanese Sign Language: A comparison with native Japanese Sign Language signers
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Analyzing head nod expressions by L2 learners of Japanese Sign Language: A comparison with native Japanese Sign Language signers

  • Natsuko Shimotani
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East Asian Sign Linguistics
This chapter is in the book East Asian Sign Linguistics

Abstract

This study analyzed the use of prosodic head nods in narratives by Deaf native signers of Japanese Sign Language (JSL) and hearing L2 learners of JSL. Head nodding in JSL is frequently observed at the end of an Intonational Phrase (IP), and either overlaps with the final movement of the manual sign to indicate a clause boundary (named “concurrent head nods”) or appears after the final movement of the manual sign to indicate certain syntactic information (named “successive head nods”). Since head nods in spoken Japanese do not have these linguistic functions, the research examined how the head nodding was being used by the hearing JSL signers. The quantitative analysis found that there were no significant differences of head nodding frequencies between the two groups; however, the qualitative research revealed differences between the interactions of the head nodding and the manual sign. Successive head nods by the hearing signers that co-occurred with a manual sign were rarely observed in the Deaf signers, which indicated that the hearing signers of JSL were not as sensitive to the relationships between the manual signs and head nods as the Deaf signers of JSL, creating non-native accent.

Abstract

This study analyzed the use of prosodic head nods in narratives by Deaf native signers of Japanese Sign Language (JSL) and hearing L2 learners of JSL. Head nodding in JSL is frequently observed at the end of an Intonational Phrase (IP), and either overlaps with the final movement of the manual sign to indicate a clause boundary (named “concurrent head nods”) or appears after the final movement of the manual sign to indicate certain syntactic information (named “successive head nods”). Since head nods in spoken Japanese do not have these linguistic functions, the research examined how the head nodding was being used by the hearing JSL signers. The quantitative analysis found that there were no significant differences of head nodding frequencies between the two groups; however, the qualitative research revealed differences between the interactions of the head nodding and the manual sign. Successive head nods by the hearing signers that co-occurred with a manual sign were rarely observed in the Deaf signers, which indicated that the hearing signers of JSL were not as sensitive to the relationships between the manual signs and head nods as the Deaf signers of JSL, creating non-native accent.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Part 1: Manuals: Numerals, classifiers, modal verbs
  5. Historical relationships between numeral signs in Japanese Sign Language, South Korean Sign Language and Taiwan Sign Language 5
  6. Phonological processes in complex word formation in Shanghai Sign Language 37
  7. Classifiers and gender in Korean Sign Language 71
  8. Causative alternation in Tianjin Sign Language 101
  9. Epistemic modal verbs and negation in Japanese Sign Language 137
  10. Part 2: Non-manuals and space
  11. The Korean Sign Language (KSL) corpus and its first application on a study about mouth actions 169
  12. Negative polar questions in Hong Kong Sign Language 203
  13. Analyzing head nod expressions by L2 learners of Japanese Sign Language: A comparison with native Japanese Sign Language signers 241
  14. Composite utterances in Taiwan Sign Language 263
  15. Time and timelines in Tibetan Sign Language (TSL) interactions in Lhasa 311
  16. Index 347
https://doi.org/10.1515/9781501510243-009

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Contents V
  3. Introduction 1
  4. Part 1: Manuals: Numerals, classifiers, modal verbs
  5. Historical relationships between numeral signs in Japanese Sign Language, South Korean Sign Language and Taiwan Sign Language 5
  6. Phonological processes in complex word formation in Shanghai Sign Language 37
  7. Classifiers and gender in Korean Sign Language 71
  8. Causative alternation in Tianjin Sign Language 101
  9. Epistemic modal verbs and negation in Japanese Sign Language 137
  10. Part 2: Non-manuals and space
  11. The Korean Sign Language (KSL) corpus and its first application on a study about mouth actions 169
  12. Negative polar questions in Hong Kong Sign Language 203
  13. Analyzing head nod expressions by L2 learners of Japanese Sign Language: A comparison with native Japanese Sign Language signers 241
  14. Composite utterances in Taiwan Sign Language 263
  15. Time and timelines in Tibetan Sign Language (TSL) interactions in Lhasa 311
  16. Index 347
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