Modal and focus particles in sign languages : a cross-linguistic study / by Annika Herrmann.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Herrmann, Annika.

Series:

Sign Languages and Deaf Communities [SLDC]

Sign Languages and Deaf Communities [SLDC] ; 2

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Sign language.

Language and languages.

Linguistics.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (420 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Berlin : De Gruyter Mouton, [2013]

Language Note:

English

Biography/History:

Annika Herrmann, Göttingen University, Germany.

Summary:

Bringing together the research fields of sign language linguistics and information structure, this book focuses on the realization of modal particles and focus particles in three European sign languages: German Sign Language, Sign Language of the Netherlands, and Irish Sign Language. As a cross-linguistic investigation based on a systematic methodological approach, the study analyzes the results particularly with regard to nonmanual features expressed by articulators such as the body, head, and face. The analyses of the data provide interesting insights into the syntax-prosody interface in sign languages and the interaction of syntax and prosody in general. Modal and focus particles have not been thoroughly investigated in sign languages. This volume presents the first study on this phenomenon and is thus an innovative contribution to the field. From a methodological and theoretical perspective, it draws on up-to-date linguistic tools and provides professionally elicited and annotated data. The book accounts for the results within existing theoretical models. Given its specific focus on nonmanuals, the book contributes to recent debates on information structure and the syntax-prosody interface and will be of special interest to both sign and spoken language linguists.

Contents:

Front matter

Acknowledgements

Contents

List of figures

List of tables

Notational conventions

Sign language acronyms

Chapter 1. Introduction

Part I. Typological, theoretical, and methodological background

Chapter 2. Sign language typology

Chapter 3. Nonmanuals in sign languages

Chapter 4. Methodology

Part II. Modal meaning

Chapter 5. Modality and modal particles in spoken languages

Chapter 6. Modality and modal particles in sign languages

Part III. Focus particles

Chapter 7. Focus particles in spoken languages

Chapter 8. Focus particles in sign languages

Chapter 9. Conclusion

Appendix

Notes

References

Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

This eBook is made available Open Access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 https://www.degruyter.com/dg/page/open-access-policy

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (ebrary, viewed February 25, 2014).

ISBN:

1-61451-182-9

1-61451-181-0

OCLC:

870589947