Table of Contents
Dedication v
Acknowledgements vii
List of figures xvi
List of tables xix
List of abbreviations xx
Annotation conventions xxii
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Subject matter, research questions, hypotheses, and objectives 1
1.2 Research on Austrian Sign Language 3
1.3 Organization of the book 4
Part I Research objective, theoretical bases, and methodology
2 Head and body movements 11
2.1 Motions of the head and body 11
2.1.1 Motions of the head 11
2.1.2 Motions of the body 13
2.1.3 Motions of the shoulders 15
2.2 Head and body movements in sign language research 15
2.3 Head and body movements in Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS) 17
2.3.1 Head movements in ÖGS 17
2.3.2 Body movements in ÖGS 21
2.3.3 Shoulder movements in ÖGS 22
2.4 Conclusion 23
3 Theoretical bases and methodology 27
3.1 Theoretical background 27
3.1.1 Functions associated with cognitive-functional domains 27
3.1.2 Constructional context 38
3.1.3 Function- and phenomenon-orientated structure of the book 43
3.2 Methodology 44
3.2.1 Which functional contexts require which indicators? 44
3.2.2 The Deaf informants and annotators 45
3.2.3 Excursion: The Großarl valley 47
3.2.4 Data collection, annotation, and first analysis 49
Part II Functions associated with head and body movements in ÖGS
4 Reference, alternativity, hypotheticality: functions related to space 61
4.1 Functional use of space 61
4.1.1 Spatial and linguistic use of space 61
4.1.2 Interferences of spatial and linguistic use of space 64
4.2 The syntactic/textual/discourse use of space in ÖGS 65
4.2.1 Reference, alternativity, and hypotheticality 65
4.2.2 Common characteristics 66
4.2.3 Resulting indicators 69
4.2.3.1 Orientation-toward indicators 69
4.2.3.2 Moving-toward indicators 72
4.2.3.3 Pointing elements to location 73
4.3 Alternativity and hypotheticality - space as a discrete medium 74
4.3.1 The alternative space and the hypothetical space 74
4.3.2 Characteristics of the indicators for the hypothetical and alternative space 74
4.3.3 The alternative space 75
4.3.3.1 Locations of the alternative space 75
4.3.3.2 Indicating one or more alternative locations 78
4.3.3.3 Indicators and characteristics 80
4.3.3.4 Alternativity & related and cross-classified functions 88
4.3.3.5 The underlying subject matters of the alternative space 94
4.3.3.6 Conclusions on the alternative space 95
4.3.4 The hypothetical space 95
4.3.4.1 Location of the hypothetical space 95
4.3.4.2 Indicators and characteristics 96
4.3.4.3 Hypotheticality & related and cross-classified functions 100
4.3.4.4 Conclusions on the hypothetical space 101
4.4 Differentiation of listing 101
4.5 Conclusions on spatial cues produced by head and body movements 103
5 Contrast: Negative-positive 107
5.1 Negation coded by headshakes 107
5.1.1 Negation in sign language research 107
5.1.2 Clause negation 109
5.1.2.1 Function 109
5.1.2.2 Form 111
5.1.2.3 Scope and co-occurrence 112
5.1.2.4 Intersection of functions 114
5.1.3 Speech act negation 119
5.1.4 Negative contrast 121
5.1.5 Affective negation 125
5.1.6 Conclusions on negation 126
5.2 Assertion coded by head nods 127
5.2.1 Assertion in sign language research 128
5.2.2 Assertion 129
5.2.2.1 Function and scope 129
5.2.2.2 Form and context of occurrence 129
5.2.3 Speech act assertion 132
5.2.4 Positive contrast 132
5.2.5 Confirmation 133
5.2.6 Conclusions on assertion 135
5.3 Negation and assertion compared 136
5.4 Intensification expressed by headshakes 137
6 Interrogativity 139
6.1 Interrogativity in sign language research 139
6.2 Direct questions in ÖGS 142
6.2.1 Polar questions indicated by head movements 142
6.2.1.1 Asking with polar questions 142
6.2.1.2 Discourse control with polar questions 143
6.2.2 Content questions indicated by head movements 144
6.2.3 Intersection: Related and cross-classified functions 146
6.2.3.1 Polar questions and other functions associated with head movements 146
6.2.3.2 Content questions and other functions associated with head movements 148
6.2.4 Conclusions on direct questions 149
6.3 Embedded interrogatives in ÖGS 150
6.3.1 Embedded polar interrogatives 150
6.3.1.1 Indicating interrogativity 151
6.3.2 Embedded content interrogatives 159
6.3.2.1 Indicators associated with interrogativity: chin up and/or head forward 159
6.3.2.2 The characteristics of the embedded clause 161
6.3.3 Intersection: Related and cross-classified functions 162
6.3.4 Conclusions on embedded interrogatives 164
6.4 A special negative interrogative 166
6.4.1 Indicator associated with negative interrogativity: head backward 166
6.4.2 The characteristics 168
6.4.3 Intersection: Related and cross-classified functions 168
6.4.4 Conclusion on interrogatives with 'head backward' 169
7 Modality 171
7.1 Modality in sign language research 171
7.2 Modal systems in ÖGS 173
7.2.1 Modality coded by signs 173
7.2.2 Modality expressed by nonmanuals 174
7.3 Types of modality expressed by head and body movements in ÖGS 178
7.3.1 Introduction: Judging propositions 178
7.3.2 Convinced-assertive head marker 179
7.3.3 Non-assertive head marker 183
7.3.4 Speculative body marker 185
7.3.5 Timitive head marker 189
7.3.6 Possibility head/body marker 191
7.4 Intersection: Related and cross-classified functions 194
7.5 Conclusions on modality 194
8 Conditionality 197
8.1 Conditionals in sign language research 197
8.2 Conditionality in relation to hypotheticality, counterfactuality, and causality 199
8.3 Indicators for conditionality 202
8.4 Conditional constructions in ÖGS 206
8.5 Intersection: Related and cross-classified functions 211
8.5.1 Negation/assertion and conditionality 211
8.5.2 Contrasting alternativity and conditionality 218
8.5.3 Modality and conditionality 219
8.6 Conclusions on conditionality 221
Part III Conclusions on head and body movements in ÖGS
9 The role of head and body movements in ÖGS 225
9.1 Classification of head and body movements 225
9.2 Semantic/structural model proposed 226
9.3 Future research 234
Appendix A Corpora 237
Appendix B Metadata of the participants from Großarl 240
