A Grammar of German Sign Language (DGS)

Signs that incorporate negation can be found in DGS both in transparent and in opaque ways. Transparent irregular negatives in DGS comprise, for instance, specific negated modal verbs [Lexicon 3.3.3] that include the alpha-negation morpheme, which is an added movement shaped like an alpha. This process does not only apply to modal verbs but also to predicates of evaluate judgment (‘not possible’, ‘not right’) as well as to a restricted set of verbs including know in DGS.

 

a.         can-can.not (kann-kann nicht)

 

 

 

 

b.         must-must.not (muss-muss nicht)

 

 

 

 

c.         shall-shall.not (soll-soll nicht)

 

 

 

 

d.         may-may.not (darf-darf nicht)

 

 

 

 

e.         need-need.not (brauch-brauch nicht)

 

 

 

 

f.         possible- possible.not (möglich-unmöglich)

 

 

 

 

g.         right-right.not (stimmt-stimmt nicht)

          

 

 

 

h.         there_is-there_is.not (gibt's-gibt's nicht)

 

 

 

 

i.          know-know.not (weiß-weiß nicht)

      

 

 

 

An example for an opaque irregular negative is the sign no.idea and no.chance formed with a O-handshape. These signs are exemplified below.

 

a.         no.idea (Keine Ahnung)

 

 

 

 

 

                        rs:3a       rs:3b

b.         can ₃help₁?  no_idea.

            ‘Can you help me? I have no idea.’

 

 

 

 

c.         no_chance (Keine Chance)

            

 

 

d.         ix₂ medicine study apply? no_chance. 

            ‘Have you applied to study Medicine? No chance.’

            

 (based on https://www.spreadthesign.com)