Nonmanual markings for topic constructions in Hong Kong Sign Language

Abstract

Across sign languages, topic constructions are marked by nonmanual features such as a brow raise and head tilt. This study investigates whether a topic constituent is marked nonmanually in Hong Kong Sign Language. Spontaneous and elicited data show that the majority of 'scene-setting' topics, which provide a temporal, spatial or individual framework for the proposition in the sentence, are accompanied with a brow raise and a specific head/body position different from the rest of the sentence. In contrast, 'aboutness' topics that represent what a sentence is about are neither marked by nonmanuals consistently nor separated intonationally from the rest of the sentence. Grammatical objects fronted to the sentence-initial position are not marked nonmanually, either. The findings suggest that there are cross-linguistic differences with respect to the functions of nonmanuals in the information structuring of sign languages.

The expression of contrast in Catalan Sign Language (LSC)

“…Studies conducted until now in SLs have generally assumed that contrast is not an independent category in IS but a feature of focus and topic (cf. Wilbur 1997Wilbur , 1999Wilbur , 2012Neidle 2002;Van der Kooij et al 2006;Nunes & Quadros 2008;Sze 2008Sze , 2011Sze , 2015Crasborn & Van der Kooij 2013;Herrmann 2013Herrmann , 2015Kimmelman 2014;Kimmelman & Pfau 2016).…”

On word order in Greek Sign Language

“…Topicalization may also influence basic WO, since topics occupy the sentence-initial position (Aarons 1994(Aarons , 1996Brunelli 2011;Sze 2011) and are marked with non-manual markers (NMMs), such as head back tilt, eye blinks, head nod and eyebrow raise (Fisher 1975;Leeson 2001). Verbs that express continuous aspect through movement repetition are also morphologically marked and lead to word order alternations, since they tend to appear in the sentence final position (see ASL : Pichler 2001;Matsuoka 1997 andLSB: Quadros 1999).…”

Encoding different types of topics and foci in German Sign Language. A cartographic approach to sign language syntax

“…However, it would mean something like 'Paul is at home at 8 o'clock'. To be more precise, leaving out the epistemic non-manuals changes the meaning to a non-epistemic one.3 Note thatSze (2011; observes that while scene-setting topics are marked non-manually, aboutness topics are unmarked in Hong Kong Sign Language (HKSL). However, she also notes that "the majority of aboutness topics in HKSL are realized as grammatical subjects"(Sze 2015: 844).…”