Word order in Croatian Sign Language

Abstract

This paper focuses on the basic word order of Croatian Sign Language (HZJ) and factors that permit alternative word orders to occur in sentences and in context. Although they are unrelated languages, the basic word order in HZJ is the same as in spoken Croatian: SVO.One of the factors allowing alternative word orders in context is information status (old or new), which influences constituent placement, as in other languages. HZJ has a tendency to omit old, previously mentioned information, usually the Subject, and the part that is expressed is the new information (Rheme). When old information is expressed, it appears at the beginning of the sentence, preceding the Rheme.Like other languages, HZJ word order can be influenced by the nature of the arguments (Subject, Object) as well as the type of Verb. Sentences with ‘reversible’ arguments (i.e. both are animate and could be agents) tend to use the basic word order, whereas those with nonreversible arguments allow more variable word order. Basic word order also occurs more often with plain verbs (those that do not agree with their arguments). Agreeing and spatial verbs use other word orders in addition to SVO, including the tendency to position Verbs at the end of sentences.Investigation on the interaction of word order and the grammatical usage of facial expressions and head positions (nonmanual marking) indicates that nonmanual markings have pragmatic roles, and could have syntactic functions which await further research.

Argument Linearization in a Three-Dimensional Grammar: A Typological Perspective on Word Order in Polish Sign Language (PJM)

“…Emmorey 2003). This observation corresponds to the cross-linguistic pattern described in Padden (1988), Kegl (2004), Milković et al (2006), Hendriks (2008) and Kimmelman (2012), among others. Interestingly, the semantic feature of animacy seems to be an important factor too.…”

Shared neural and cognitive mechanisms in action and language: The multiscale information transfer framework

“…For example, in Japanese, telic verbs are marked by nonlow vowels (Fujimori & Di Sciullo, ). Slavic languages use morphology to convey the temporal structure of event segmentation, such that aspect and telicity in Slavic languages often appear fused, with verbs denoting telic events also marked as lexically perfective, and verbs denoting atelic ones—imperfective (Malaia, ; Milkovic & Malaia, ). Indonesian utilizes a similar morphological method of telicity marking, employing constructions with the suffix ‐ kan (Son & Cole, ).…”

Syllable as a unit of information transfer in linguistic communication: The entropy syllable parsing model

“…Like the ballplayer who knows when the ball will come down, the signer knows about halfway through the sign how the sign will end. Verbs that have this type of movement trajectory envelope generally denote events that atelic, that is, have no natural end‐state at which they could be considered finished/complete (Malaia, Borneman, & Wilbur, ; Malaia & Wilbur, ; Malaia, Wilbur, & Milkovic, ; Milkovic & Malaia, ; Wilbur & Malaia, ). In contrast, verbs that denote events that have distinct end‐states (telics) are visually end‐marked by a rapid deceleration to a stop, even when produced inside a sentence or narrative; this has been termed the Event Visibility Hypothesis Wilbur, , ).…”