Grammar

deafbajagal said:
Bye Bye Me go

Why?

Point none.

Why?

Boy understand not.

Me explain explain "chaa" (mouth movement)

bye bye me go
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But wait!! It is a grammar thread after all and I want to know is "we" a verb at all in any language?
 
we is not a verb...

we + go = one handshape that makes it a directional verb in which the speed of the sign and distance of the sign from the body will indicate how fast/slow we are going and if you're good at ASL, you will already have a spatial sign set up for "where" you are going

(Before saying we go...you will have already set up a place...such as park...so technically...it's PARK...WE+GO (handshape) ).

Kinda hard to explain in written English, LOL.
 
deafbajagal said:
we is not a verb...

we + go = one handshape that makes it a directional verb in which the speed of the sign and distance of the sign from the body will indicate how fast/slow we are going and if you're good at ASL, you will already have a spatial sign set up for "where" you are going

(Before saying we go...you will have already set up a place...such as park...so technically...it's PARK...WE+GO (handshape) ).

Kinda hard to explain in written English, LOL.
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Signing "We + Go" would be correct ASL. YOu are right. However, it was not "we go" that was in question it was "Go we". Something someone tried passing off as being correct ASL implying its in passive voice. See: Post #35 & #44
 
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jillio said:
Exactly. Handshapes are the phonemes
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She already admitted that in ASL we sign "We + go" because the hand shape(s) that makes up these signs would equal a directional verb. See Post #83
 
The order of we+go or go+we does not matter because 1) the words are English, not ASL and 2) handshape represents the CONCEPT of we going...hence it doesn't matter if it is we go or go we.

Syntax of ASL CANNOT be written. It has been attempted...and failed numerous times.

Another awesome linguistist is Carol Padden. She also understands the language from a cultural view.
 
deafbajagal said:
The order of we+go or go+we does not matter because 1) the words are English, not ASL and 2) handshape represents the CONCEPT of we going...hence it doesn't matter if it is we go or go we.

Syntax of ASL CANNOT be written. It has been attempted...and failed numerous times.

Another awesome linguistist is Carol Padden. She also understands the language from a cultural view.
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And Ursula Belugi, as well.
 
Bottesini said:
So basically you are telling us that ASL and English are not identical? :hmm:
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Cute, but no, that's not what I'm saying. :P

Rather, passive voice is a feature of many languages, not just English. I'm just not convinced that it exists in ASL. Frankly, I was hoping someone would post a concrete example of passive voice in ASL since it would make for a great point discussion in my linguistics class.
 
Mountain Man said:
Cute, but no, that's not what I'm saying. :P

Rather, passive voice is a feature of many languages, not just English. I'm just not convinced that it exists in ASL. Frankly, I was hoping someone would post a concrete example of passive voice in ASL since it would make for a great point discussion in my linguistics class.
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i would say there is a passive voice in asl. how about this:

BOY THROW BALL (the subject is the topic, so you are using "active voice"- SVO)
BALL? BOY THROW (the object is the topic, so you are using "passive voice"- OSV)
 
missywinks said:
i would say there is a passive voice in asl. how about this:

BOY THROW BALL (the subject is the topic, so you are using "active voice"- SVO)
BALL? BOY THROW (the object is the topic, so you are using "passive voice"- OSV)
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That's not passive voice because you're still identifying a subject and an object even if the object happens to be the topic of the sentence. Passive voice would be:

"The ball was thrown."

Is it possible for this sentence to exist in ASL, where the subject of the sentence is also the object?
 
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