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Sign Language & Linguistics
Vol. 21:1 (2018) ► pp.137–151
Squibs

A negation-tense interaction in Georgian Sign Language

| Ilia State University
| University of Amsterdam

We describe an intriguing interaction of negation and tense in Georgian Sign Language (GESL), a sign language which to date has received close to no attention by linguists. GESL verbs that employ an irregular negation strategy in the present tense (modal verbs and the verb know) require double marking in the past tense, i.e. the irregular negative form combines with the negative particle not, which is not used in the present and future tense with these verbs. The GESL data thus provide us with direct evidence for an active contribution of the feature tense in the grammar of GESL – in contrast to most other sign languages previously studied. We also offer a cross-linguistic perspective on the data by discussing instances of Negative Concord reported for various sign languages as well as tense-negation interactions attested in spoken languages.

Keywords: Georgian Sign Language, negation, modal verb, Negative Concord, tense
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Negation in Georgian Sign Language
  • 3.Interaction of negation and tense
  • 4.Cross-linguistic perspective
    • 4.1Negative Concord in sign languages
    • 4.2Interaction of negation and tense
    • 5.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgments
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 19 October 2018
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/sll.00013.mak
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Almeida, Luiz Gustavo Paulino de & André Nogueira Xavier
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Pfau, Roland, Tamar Makharoblidze & Hedde Zeijlstra
2022. Negation and Negative Concord in Georgian Sign Language. Frontiers in Psychology 13 DOI logo
van Boven, Cindy, Marloes Oomen, Roland Pfau & Lotte Rusch
2023. Chapter 2. Negative Concord in Sign Language of the Netherlands. In Advances in Sign Language Corpus Linguistics [Studies in Corpus Linguistics, 108], ► pp. 30 ff. DOI logo

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