Sentential negation in South African Sign Language: A case study

Courtney De Barros,Ian Siebörger

doi:10.4102/lit.v37i2.1285

Abstract

As with other sign languages, South African Sign Language (SASL) expresses negation using both manual and non-manual features. In this case study, naturalistic data provided by two native signers of SASL are analysed to show the syntactic relationship between these two sets of features. Using a Principles and Parameters approach and Government and Binding Theory, we investigate the syntactic scope of negation in our SASL data. We observe that side-to-side headshake, as a non-manual feature, appears to be the chief clausal negator in SASL, with a clause-final manual negative particle, NOT, playing a secondary role. We describe the negative headshake as a featural affix which is base-generated in the head of NegP and triggers V-to-Neg raising. The negative particle NOT appears to be base-generated in the Specifier of NegP. Suggestions for further syntactic research on SASL are provided.

Highlights

While spoken languages are ‘produced by the vocal tract and perceived by the auditory channel’ (Perniss et al 2007:1), sign languages by contrast ‘are produced by the hands, and by other non-manual articulators like the head, face and body and are perceived visually’ (Perniss et al 2007:2)
The results of this study indicate that South African Sign Language (SASL) employs the same four forms of negation found in other sign languages, namely negation signs, signs of negative incorporation, headmovements and facial features
Http://www.literator.org.za marking sentential negation: the side-to-side headshake and the negative particle NOT. These two features were found to operate in the same way in SASL as in DGS

Summary

Introduction

While spoken languages are ‘produced by the vocal tract and perceived by the auditory channel’ (Perniss et al 2007:1), sign languages by contrast ‘are produced by the hands, and by other non-manual articulators like the head, face and body and are perceived visually’ (Perniss et al 2007:2). As we will see, for LSC and DGS morphological rules govern the operations of the [+neg] feature and movement is triggered by the Stray Affix Filter in order to explain the syntactic scope of negation in these sign languages. The rules governing the distribution of these negative elements were analysed as either being syntactic or morphological Using this information similar structures found in the literature on other http://www.literator.org.za sign languages were compared with SASL. What is of importance to http://www.literator.org.za this study is the status of this particular facial expression in SASL It appeared frequently and in a number of contexts, it was never found occurring without another form of negation. They do not function on a morphosyntactic level, the data suggest that this facial feature may be discourse-related

Summary of negation in SASL

Conclusion and directions for future research