Modality Effects in Grammar and Discourse in Taiwan Sign Language by Shiou-fen Su A dissertation summited to National Chung Cheng University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics Advisor: Prof. James H-Y. Tai August 2011 Table of contents List of Tables ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------viii List of Figures -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------ix Acknowledgements -------------------------------------------------------------------------xviii Abstract -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------xx Chapter 1 Introduction ---------------------------------------------------------------------1 1.1 Introduction to Sign language ----------------------------------------------------------1 1.2 History of Taiwan Sign Language -----------------------------------------------------3 1.3 Theoretical background and main issues ---------------------------------------------5 1.3.1 Effects and non-effects of modality ----------------------------------------------5 1.3.1.1 Iconicity ------------------------------------------------------------------------7 1.3.1.2 Simultaneity -------------------------------------------------------------------9 1.3.1.3 Extensive use of space and important role of gesture -------------------10 1.3.2 Summary and main issues -------------------------------------------------------11 1.4 Database ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------13 1.4.1 Frog Story Narratives -------------------------------------------------------------14 1.4.2 Short narratives of pictures, comics or video clips ---------------------------15 1.4.3 Spontaneous narratives triggered -----------------------------------------------15 1.4.4 Free conversation -----------------------------------------------------------------15 1.5 Organization ----------------------------------------------------------------------------15 Chapter 2 A Sketch of TSL Grammar -------------------------------------------------19 2.1 Introduction -----------------------------------------------------------------------------19 2.2 Phonology -------------------------------------------------------------------------------19 2.2.1 Phonemes and minimal pairs ----------------------------------------------------19 2.2.1.1 Contrast in handshape -------------------------------------------------------20 2.2.1.2 Contrast in location ----------------------------------------------------------20 2.2.1.3 Contrast in movement -------------------------------------------------------20 2.2.1.4 Contrast in orientation -------------------------------------------------------21 2.2.2 Phonological processes and constraints ----------------------------------------21 2.2.2.1 Assimilation -----------------------------------------------------------------21 2.2.2.2 Dominance constraint and symmetry constraint -----------------------22 2.3 Morphosyntax ---------------------------------------------------------------------------22 2.3.1 Inflectional morphology ----------------------------------------------------------23 2.3.1.1 Three classes of verbs ------------------------------------------------------24 2.3.1.1.1 Plain verbs ---------------------------------------------------------------25 2.3.1.1.2 Agreement verbs --------------------------------------------------------26 ii 2.3.1.1.3 Spatial-locative predicates ---------------------------------------------26 2.3.1.2 Agreement -------------------------------------------------------------------30 2.3.1.2.1 Person agreement and location agreement --------------------------30 2.3.1.2.2 Reduplication as number agreement ---------------------------------33 2.3.1.2.3 Numeral incorporation as number agreement -----------------------34 2.3.1.3 Aspect ------------------------------------------------------------------------36 2.3.2 Types of sentences ----------------------------------------------------------------37 2.3.2.1 Simple declarative sentences ---------------------------------------------37 2.3.2.2 Sentences with modals ----------------------------------------------------38 2.3.2.3 Interrogative sentences ----------------------------------------------------39 Chapter 3 Iconicity and Simultaneity of Expressive Units ------------------------43 3.1 Introduction -----------------------------------------------------------------------------43 3.2 Iconicity of expressive units ----------------------------------------------------------45 3.2.1 Signs and gestures with iconic motivation ----------------------------------45 3.2.1.1 Imagistic handshape ------------------------------------------------------46 3.2.1.2 Imagistic movement ------------------------------------------------------47 3.2.1.3 Imagistic location ---------------------------------------------------------49 3.2.1.4 Part-for-whole-representation -------------------------------------------50 3.2.2 Depicting manual gestures and lexicalized depicting signs -------------50 3.2.3 Depicting body gestures and depicting body-part gestures -------------53 3.2.4 Gestures in face ---------------------------------------------------------------56 3.2.4.1 Gestures expressing affections -------------------------------------------56 3.2.4.2 Gestures in eyes and mouth ----------------------------------------------56 3.2.4.3 Nonmanual actions in eyes -----------------------------------------------57 3.2.4.4 Mouth actions --------------------------------------------------------------58 3.2.4.4.1 Echo phonology ------------------------------------------------------59 3.2.4.4.2 Iconic gestures --------------------------------------------------------59 3.2.4.4.3 Adverbials -------------------------------------------------------------60 3.2.4.4.4 Mouthing ---------------------------------------------------------------62 3.3 Simultaneity of expressive units ----------------------------------------------------- 63 3.3.1 Lexicalized compound-like signs and depicting classifier constructions --64 3.3.2 Perseveration of expressive units -----------------------------------------------65 3.3.3 Dominance reversal ---------------------------------------------------------------66 3.3.4 Encoding and demonstrating of co-occurring events -------------------------67 3.3.5 Integration of language and gesture --------------------------------------------68 3.3.5.1 Language and gesture are produced with different channels ----------68 3.3.5.2 Modulation of parameters of manual actions ----------------------------69 iii 3.4 Conclusions -----------------------------------------------------------------------------70 Chapter 4 Methods of Signaling --------------------------------------------------------73 4.1 Introduction -----------------------------------------------------------------------------73 4.2 Signaling of indicating ----------------------------------------------------------------74 4.2.1 Directing-to by index finger -----------------------------------------------------75 4.2.1.1 Pronominal demonstratives -------------------------------------------------76 4.2.1.2 Adnominal demonstrative ---------------------------------------------------80 4.2.1.3 Adverbial demonstratives ---------------------------------------------------82 4.2.1.4 Identificational demonstratives -------------------------------------------84 4.2.2 Indicating of other manual expressions -------------------------------------85 4.2.2.1 Indicating of indicating signs ---------------------------------------------85 4.2.2.2 Indicating of non-locative signs and depicting classifier constructions ----------------------------------------------------------------87 4.2.2.3 Indicating of gestures and depicting classifier constructions ---------88 4.2.2.4 Modulation of location as agreement ------------------------------------89 4.2.3 Indicating of nonmanual expressions -------------------------------------------90 4.2.3.1 As demonstratives ----------------------------------------------------------90 4.2.3.2 Character viewpoint indicators -------------------------------------------90 4.2.3.2.1 Constructed actions ---------------------------------------------------91 4.2.3.2.2 Constructed emotions -------------------------------------------------92 4.2.3.2.3 Constructed dialogues ------------------------------------------------93 4.2.3.3 Discourse prominence indicators ----------------------------------------94 4.2.4 Summary ---------------------------------------------------------------------------95 4.3 Signaling of demonstrating -----------------------------------------------------------95 4.3.1 Depicting size and shape of referents ------------------------------------------96 4.3.2 Depicting motion of referents ---------------------------------------------------97 4.3.3 Depicting motion and accidently caused motion ----------------------------101 4.3.4 Depicting location of referents -------------------------------------------------102 4.3.5 Depicting motion and location of referents ----------------------------------103 4.3.6 Depicting action of referents ---------------------------------------------------104 4.3.7 Depicting presence of referents ------------------------------------------------105 4.4 Conclusions ----------------------------------------------------------------------------107 Chapter 5 Modality Effects on Phrase Structure -----------------------------------109 5.1 Introduction ----------------------------------------------------------------------------109