Chapter 7
Syntax: complex sentences
Create two different types of complex sentences using the following DGS constituents:
[today], [last night], [poss1 friend index3 ], [restaurant work], [tired]
You can – depending on the type of embedded clause – add grammatical elements (like a conjunction or a relative pronoun). Do not forget to indicate the non-manual markers.
There are, of course, various possibilities. It has to be taken into account that the students only have knowledge of DGS grammar based on what has been explained in the chapter. Below we provide three possible complex sentences, one including a relative clause (a) and two including adverbial clauses, a reason clause (b) and a conditional clause (c); grammatical elements that have been added are indicated in bold.
[today] [poss1 friend index3]
‘Today my friend who worked in a restaurant last night is tired.’
DGS relative clauses are usually introduced by a relative pronoun (here: relative pronoun for human entities) and are accompanied by two non-manual markers: eyebrow raise and a body lean towards the location of the referent which the relative clause modifies.
[today] [poss1 friend index3] [tired] reason [last night] [restaurant work]
‘Today my friend is tired because he worked last night in a restaurant.’
DGS causal clauses are introduced by the conjunction reason. There are no obligatory non-manual markers.
‘If my friend worked at the restaurant last night, (he) will be tired today.’
This option may be slightly more unlikely, but it is certainly possible. DGS conditional clauses are (optionally) introduced by the conjunction if, and they are marked by raised eyebrows. In the main clause, index 3 could be added (today index 3 tired).