Overview
Recent research on the syntax of signed languages has revealed that, apart from some modality-specific differences, signed languages are organized according to the same underlying principles as spoken languages. This book addresses the organization and distribution of functional categories in American Sign Language (ASL), focusing on tense, agreement, and wh-constructions. Signed languages provide illuminating evidence about functional projections of a kind unavailable in the study of spoken languages. Along with manual signing, crucial information is expressed by specific movements of the face and upper body. The authors argue that such nonmanual markings are often direct expressions of abstract syntactic features. The distribution and intensity of these markings provide information about the location of functional heads and the boundaries of functional projections. The authors show how evidence from ASL is useful for evaluating a number of recent theoretical proposals on, among other things, the status of syntactic agreement projections and constraints on phrase structure and the directionality of movement.
Full Product Details
Author: Carol Neidle ,
Judy Kegl (University of Southern Maine) ,
Dawn MacLaughlin ,
Benjamin Bahan
Publisher: MIT Press Ltd
Imprint: Bradford Books
Dimensions:
Width: 15.20cm
, Height: 1.50cm
, Length: 22.90cm
Weight: 0.431kg
ISBN: 9780262512213
ISBN 10: 0262512211
Pages: 239
Publication Date: 01 July 2008
Recommended Age: From 18 years
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Professional & Vocational
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Manufactured on demand
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.
Reviews
Dazzling--of great interest to linguists in general and sign-language scholars in particular. There are fresh arguments and evidence for many important claims about UG and ASL. --Harlan Lane, University Distinguished Professor, Northeastern University
Dazzling--of great interest to linguists in general and sign-language scholars in particular. There are fresh arguments and evidence for many important claims about UG and ASL.
Dazzling--of great interest to linguists in general and sign-language scholars in particular. There are fresh arguments and evidence for many important claims about UG and ASL. --Harlan Lane, University Distinguished Professor, Northeastern University
Author Information
Carol Neidle is Professor of French Linguistics and Director of the Linguistics Program at Boston University. Judy Kegl is Professor of Linguistics and Director of the Signed Language Research Lab at the University of Southern Maine. Benjamin Bahan is Professor/Codirector of Program Development for 6th Street Project in the ASL and Deaf Studies Program at Gallaudet University.
