Article published in:
Nonmanuals in Sign LanguageEdited by Annika Herrmann and Markus Steinbach
[Sign Language & Linguistics 14:1] 2011
► pp. 148–178
Nonmanuals, semantic operators, domain marking, and the solution to two outstanding puzzles in ASL
Ronnie B. Wilbur | Purdue University
This paper provides an analysis of certain nonmanuals from a semantic perspective with respect to the different types of semantic operators they are associated with. The categories of operators include simple/monadic and tripartite/dyadic. This semantic analysis will explain different phonological spreading among upper face/head nonmanuals: negative headshake, brow lowering, and structurally varied use of brow raise. Negative headshake and [+wh]-question brow lowering spread over their c-command domain. However, brow raise does not spread over its c-command domain, and its spreading domain is harder to characterize. The operator analysis provides a coherent explanation for the spreading domain. This distinction underlies a new analysis of the derived sign understand′, and helps resolve two puzzling issues related to its use: (1) why it has brow raise; and (2) what position it occupies in CP. This solution offers additional evidence in support of the claim that ASL has the spec,CP on the left.
Keywords: c-command domain, spec,CP, tripartite, semantic operators, spreading domain
Published online: 11 August 2011
https://doi.org/10.1075/sll.14.1.08wil
https://doi.org/10.1075/sll.14.1.08wil
Cited by
Cited by 11 other publications
Abner, Natasha & Ronnie B. Wilbur
Benitez-Quiroz, C. Fabian, Kadir Gökgöz, Ronnie B. Wilbur, Aleix M. Martinez & Emmanuel Andreas Stamatakis
Brentari, Diane, Joshua Falk, Anastasia Giannakidou, Annika Herrmann, Elisabeth Volk & Markus Steinbach
Kentner, Ashley & Ronnie B. Wilbur
Krebs, Julia, Evie Malaia, Ronnie B. Wilbur & Dietmar Roehm
Quer, Josep
Schlenker, Philippe
Wilbur, Ronnie
Wilbur, Ronnie B. & Evie Malaia
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 23 april 2022. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.