A Grammar of German Sign Language (DGS)

2.3.1.1. Order of subject, object and verb

In DGS, the order of subject, object and verb in a main declarative clause is SOV. This includes transitive verbs, which select two arguments [Syntax 2.1.1.1] as in example (a). If the clause contains an intransitive verb, which only takes a single argument [Syntax 2.1.1.2], the order is SV irrespective of whether the verb is unergative as in (b) or unaccusative as in (c).

 

a.       boy3a girl3b 3atease3b

         โ€˜The boy teases the girl.โ€™

 

 

 

 

b.      little girl cry++

         โ€˜The little girl is crying.โ€™

 

 

 

c.       last year poss1 grandmother die

         โ€˜My grandmother died last year.โ€™

           

 

List of editors

Sina Proske, Derya Nuhbalaoglu, Annika Herrmann, Jana Hosemann & Markus Steinbach

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Bibliographical reference for citation

The entire grammar:
Branchini, Chiara and Lara Mantovan (eds.). 2020. A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS). 1st ed. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series). (http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)

A Chapter:
Smith, Mary. 2020. Syntax: 3. Coordination and Subordination. In Branchini, Chiara and Lara Mantovan (eds.), A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS). 1st ed. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series), 230-237. ((http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)

A Section:
Smith, Mary. 2020. Phonology: 1.1.1.2. Finger configuration. In Mary, Smith, Ben Smith and Carlo Smith (eds.), A Grammar of Catalan Sign Language (LSC). 1st ed. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series), 230-237. (http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)

Smith, Mary. 2020. Syntax: 3.1.2.1.3. Manual markers in disjunctive coordination. In Mary, Smith, Ben Smith and Carlo Smith (eds.), A Grammar of Catalan Sign Language (LSC). 1st edn. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series), 230-237. (http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)

europe-flagThis project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant Agreement No 693349.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike4.0 License.