Facial Grammar

ASL isn’t English

Many of the inflections you might normally use with your voice are instead conveyed by your facial expressions

To sign “appropriately” you must use facial grammar.

One of the most basic aspects of facial grammar is that which is used for yes / no questions.

While asking questions that can be answered with a yes or a no, you need to raise your eyebrows.

However: If you ask a question that should be answered with something more than “yes or no” you should furrow your eyebrows a bit.

Those are called “wh” questions Those are called “wh” questions. That is because typical questions often use “who, what, when, where, which, and how.” Notice that in English these all start with a “wh?”

If I sign “you” with my eyebrows up…it would mean “did you If I sign “you” with my eyebrows up…it would mean “did you?” or “are you?”

Let me give you an example Let me give you an example. Suppose we are all here in class and I smell methane.

And suppose someone keeps it up.

I might ask: “Was it you. ” (YES/NO I might ask: “Was it you?” (YES/NO ?) I would ask this by using the sign and the appropriate facial grammar.

I could go around asking: YOU. [yes/no-q] (Student responds “no”) YOU I could go around asking: YOU? [yes/no-q] (Student responds “no”) YOU? [yes/no-q] (Student responds “no”) YOU? [yes/no-q] (Student responds “yes”)

After I find the person who answers yes After I find the person who answers yes. I might want their name so I can make a note of it so I can take some points off from their grade.

Eyebrows down: THAT-PERSON WHO?

There are other grammar rules but lets move on There are other grammar rules but lets move on. Just remember: YES/NO questions = / \ WH-questions = \ /