The Interplay of Nonmanuals and Clauses in ÖGS Texts

Non-manual elements briefly nonmanuals are movements of the face, head, and body which may have linguistic or gestural functions in sign languages. During the last years the research in nonmanuals increased. First studies on Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS) show that several nonmanuals are used as segmentation cues and turn-taking signals. A small-scaled study on head and body movement in ÖGS reveals that various nonmanuals can also bear a clauseext structuring function. The present project aims at extending our knowledge on the contribution of nonmanuals to clauses in ÖGS. In particular, we will apply a new method for identifying and analyzing nonmanuals, based on corpus data of several varieties of ÖGS and on annotations by Deaf native signers. A model for the linguistic analysis of nonmanuals will also be developed. Our hypotheses: Particular syntactic constructions are frequently accompanied by particular nonmanuals. The sets of all tokens of each nonmanual identified by Deaf annotators convey a broad meaning which is specified by additional language means or context. It is possible to develop a model for the use of nonmanuals. Methodological steps: First, data for a more comprehensive ÖGS-corpus will be collected. Then a choice of different signed discourse types will be annotated by multiple Deaf native signers: They will determine the clause-like units and clear up their meaning by an ÖGS-paraphrase and by selecting possible functions associated with each clause-like unit. Then, the nonmanuals, which co-occur with these units, will be annotated with regard to their form and possible meaning/function. Also, based on the feedback of the SL users judgement task, acceptability and variation of the identified nonmanuals are analyzed. The evaluation of the SL users annotations as well as the linguistic analysis will show which nonmanuals co- occur with which syntactic constructions, whether these nonmanuals are obligatory, and especially how complex clause structures are coded. An example research question is, whether a syntactic construction such as a conditional can be identified without any lexical element denoting this particular sentence type but only by particular nonmanuals. As a final step, a model for the description of this group of non-manual elements will be delivered. The innovations and impacts of the project are Creating a more comprehensive ÖGS-corpus, Introducing a new method for determining and functional-interpreting clause-like units as well as for identifying and analyzing nonmanuals, Creating a model for the description of nonmanuals which indicates the sign language-special sequential-simultaneous structure of sentences and includes the productivity of iconicity and conceptual metaphors, Working in a bilingual and bicultural team of linguists, translators, and ÖGS-experts will secure the validity of results.

The project 'The Interplay of Nomanuals and Clauses in ÖGS Texts' aimed at identifying and analyzing movements of the face, head and body (i.e. nonmanuals - NMs) bearing linguistic functions in clause-like-units (CLUs) and occurring in natural signed discourses of Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS) as corpus data of 49 Deaf Native Signers shows. An innovative approach for determining and analyzing NMs and CLUs was implemented: Sign language users were asked to determine CLUs and NMs, latter by using a template with a list of possible NMs to choose from. Afterwards, they selected one or more possible functions they associated with each CLU and with each identified nonmanual. A template of selected functions which are based on functional domains and associated with propositional-semantics, discourse-pragmatics, and/or interactive functions was used as basis. Findings show: Firstly, Deaf annotators associate some NMs with particular functions. These NMs consistently (but not always) co-occur in particular types of clause constructions. Secondly, NMs occurring in particular types of clause constructions are associated with (i) the same function(s), (ii) different functions (but tend to co-occur in the same clause constructions) or (iii) different functions showing semantic/pragmatic contiguity with the NMs they co-occur with. Thirdly, Deaf annotators consistently associate the same or related functions of NMs produced by individual signers, regardless of corpus data showing production of NMs varies individually. Finally, several NMs were expected to show constancy in co-occurrence with particular types of clause construction. Findings show that if NMs did not co-occur as expected, other NMs tended to co-occur. For instance, data shows negative constructions not accompanied by headshakes when they are interpreted as negated clauses tend to co-occur with other NMs such as 'mouth-corners-down'. The project was based on a usage-based approach to and user-perceived perspective on language. All findings presented support our model for interpreting particular NMs functionally. Apart from iconicity and conceptual metaphor the NMs' functional association(s) depend on or are specified by discourse context, pragmatic context, (narrow) surrounding language context, the specific syntactic construction, additional co-occurring nonmanual and manual elements and their constant use by the Deaf community. Our model for a functional-interpretation and analysis of clause constructions yields consistent results on the usage of NMs: The model shows what syntactically sequential and simultaneous slots of each clause type users require to functionally interpret particular CLUs. In the project linguists, interpreters, Deaf Native signers, IT experts and students of linguistics and translation studies were involved. Such a bilingual/bicultural and interdisciplinary team secured the validity of findings, offered junior researchers the possibility to be involved and intensified the cooperation between researchers and Deaf associations. The international workshop 'SignNonmanuals' (Graz, 2019) promoted the national and international reputation of ÖGS research and strengthened international cooperation.