Quotation in sign languages
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Annika Herrmann
Abstract
Assuming that quoting utterances and thoughts is a universal property of natural languages, sign languages are also expected to have various linguistic means to mark quotation. Like spoken languages, sign languages have regular forms of indirect reported speech. However, sign languages mostly draw on a specific grammatical means for quotation called role shift. Role shift is a particularly interesting form of reported speech that combines properties of both direct and indirect speech. Based on a pilot corpus study, we discuss the formal and functional properties of role shift in German Sign Language (DGS). We argue that role shift can be analyzed as a nonmanual agreement operator that overtly agrees with the signer and the addressee of the reported utterance and triggers a context shift from the actual context to the context of the reported utterance.
Abstract
Assuming that quoting utterances and thoughts is a universal property of natural languages, sign languages are also expected to have various linguistic means to mark quotation. Like spoken languages, sign languages have regular forms of indirect reported speech. However, sign languages mostly draw on a specific grammatical means for quotation called role shift. Role shift is a particularly interesting form of reported speech that combines properties of both direct and indirect speech. Based on a pilot corpus study, we discuss the formal and functional properties of role shift in German Sign Language (DGS). We argue that role shift can be analyzed as a nonmanual agreement operator that overtly agrees with the signer and the addressee of the reported utterance and triggers a context shift from the actual context to the context of the reported utterance.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Authors’ biographies vii
- Preface: Introductory remarks on new and old quotatives xi
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Part I. Discourse perspectives
- Impersonal quotation and hypothetical discourse 3
- By three means 37
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Part II. Typological perspectives
- Minds divided 71
- Thetic speaker-instantiating quotative indexes as a cross-linguistic type 117
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Part III. Functional and formal perspectives
- On the characteristics of Japanese reported discourse 145
- Quotative go and be like 173
- Quotation in sign languages 203
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Part IV. Language variation and change
- Performed narrative 231
- Dutch quotative van 259
- Glossary of specialist terms for research in quotation 281
- Author index 291
- Index of terms 293
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Authors’ biographies vii
- Preface: Introductory remarks on new and old quotatives xi
-
Part I. Discourse perspectives
- Impersonal quotation and hypothetical discourse 3
- By three means 37
-
Part II. Typological perspectives
- Minds divided 71
- Thetic speaker-instantiating quotative indexes as a cross-linguistic type 117
-
Part III. Functional and formal perspectives
- On the characteristics of Japanese reported discourse 145
- Quotative go and be like 173
- Quotation in sign languages 203
-
Part IV. Language variation and change
- Performed narrative 231
- Dutch quotative van 259
- Glossary of specialist terms for research in quotation 281
- Author index 291
- Index of terms 293
