Negative polar questions in Hong Kong Sign Language
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Felix Sze
Abstract
This paper investigates how Hong Kong Sign Language (HKSL) expresses different types of negative polar questions (NPQs). NPQs can be ambiguous between an outer and inner reading. For the outer reading, the NEG is outside the proposition and the speaker tries to confirm that what he believes is true. For the inner reading, the NEG is inside the proposition, and the speaker wants to confirm an unexpected inference. NPQs can be used as an urge/request for an action, too. Our findings suggest that HKSL signers mainly adopt non-manuals to differentiate these three types of NPQs. Unlike other sign languages which directly combine the non-manuals of polar questions and negation when forming NPQs, HKSL has not incorporated the backward movements of the head/body associated with negation into the non-manuals of NPQs, probably because such backward movements contradict the forward head tilt of polar questions, which are more dominant. In addition, the varying degree of consistency of the non-manual markings within and across signers might suggest that the non-manual markers of the three types of NPQs are at different stages of grammaticalization.
Abstract
This paper investigates how Hong Kong Sign Language (HKSL) expresses different types of negative polar questions (NPQs). NPQs can be ambiguous between an outer and inner reading. For the outer reading, the NEG is outside the proposition and the speaker tries to confirm that what he believes is true. For the inner reading, the NEG is inside the proposition, and the speaker wants to confirm an unexpected inference. NPQs can be used as an urge/request for an action, too. Our findings suggest that HKSL signers mainly adopt non-manuals to differentiate these three types of NPQs. Unlike other sign languages which directly combine the non-manuals of polar questions and negation when forming NPQs, HKSL has not incorporated the backward movements of the head/body associated with negation into the non-manuals of NPQs, probably because such backward movements contradict the forward head tilt of polar questions, which are more dominant. In addition, the varying degree of consistency of the non-manual markings within and across signers might suggest that the non-manual markers of the three types of NPQs are at different stages of grammaticalization.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Introduction 1
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Part 1: Manuals: Numerals, classifiers, modal verbs
- Historical relationships between numeral signs in Japanese Sign Language, South Korean Sign Language and Taiwan Sign Language 5
- Phonological processes in complex word formation in Shanghai Sign Language 37
- Classifiers and gender in Korean Sign Language 71
- Causative alternation in Tianjin Sign Language 101
- Epistemic modal verbs and negation in Japanese Sign Language 137
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Part 2: Non-manuals and space
- The Korean Sign Language (KSL) corpus and its first application on a study about mouth actions 169
- Negative polar questions in Hong Kong Sign Language 203
- Analyzing head nod expressions by L2 learners of Japanese Sign Language: A comparison with native Japanese Sign Language signers 241
- Composite utterances in Taiwan Sign Language 263
- Time and timelines in Tibetan Sign Language (TSL) interactions in Lhasa 311
- Index 347
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Introduction 1
-
Part 1: Manuals: Numerals, classifiers, modal verbs
- Historical relationships between numeral signs in Japanese Sign Language, South Korean Sign Language and Taiwan Sign Language 5
- Phonological processes in complex word formation in Shanghai Sign Language 37
- Classifiers and gender in Korean Sign Language 71
- Causative alternation in Tianjin Sign Language 101
- Epistemic modal verbs and negation in Japanese Sign Language 137
-
Part 2: Non-manuals and space
- The Korean Sign Language (KSL) corpus and its first application on a study about mouth actions 169
- Negative polar questions in Hong Kong Sign Language 203
- Analyzing head nod expressions by L2 learners of Japanese Sign Language: A comparison with native Japanese Sign Language signers 241
- Composite utterances in Taiwan Sign Language 263
- Time and timelines in Tibetan Sign Language (TSL) interactions in Lhasa 311
- Index 347
