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CSET: American Sign Language study materials
CSET: American Sign Language study resources

CSET: American Sign Language practice questions

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Question 1General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

In ASL linguistics, what does the term "phoneme" refer to when applied to signs?

  1. A written gloss representing an English word
  2. A complete signed sentence used as a unit of discourse
  3. A bound morpheme that marks plural number
  4. A minimal contrastive unit of handshape, location, movement, or orientation that distinguishes one sign from another Correct answer.

Explanation

ASL phonology treats parameters such as handshape, location, movement, orientation, and nonmanual features as contrastive units. Two signs that differ in only one parameter, like MOTHER and FATHER, form a minimal pair, proving that parameter is phonemic.

Question 2General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

The signs KNOW and THINK are distinguished primarily by which phonological parameter?

  1. Movement
  2. Handshape
  3. Location Correct answer.
  4. Palm orientation

Explanation

Both signs use a similar bent or flat handshape near the head and involve little movement, but KNOW is produced at the side of the forehead while THINK is produced at the temple. The contrast is therefore located in the location parameter, making them a minimal pair.

Question 3General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

Which term describes the simultaneous use of brow position, eye gaze, head tilt, and mouth morphemes alongside manual signs?

  1. Nonmanual signals Correct answer.
  2. Classifier predicates
  3. Fingerspelling
  4. Code switching

Explanation

Nonmanual signals are the facial and head components that co-occur with manual signs and carry grammatical meaning. They mark question types, conditionals, topics, and adverbial information, so they are part of ASL grammar rather than decoration.

Question 4General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

A signer raises the eyebrows and tilts the head forward while signing a clause. In ASL this nonmanual mark most typically signals which sentence type?

  1. Topicalized declarative
  2. Yes/no question Correct answer.
  3. Conditional clause
  4. Wh-question

Explanation

Raised brows with a forward head tilt is the standard nonmanual marker for yes/no questions in ASL. Wh-questions instead use lowered brows, and conditionals use raised brows with a pause and a specific head position.

Question 5General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

In ASL morphology, what is a classifier predicate?

  1. A handshape that depicts the shape, size, or handling of a referent within a predicate Correct answer.
  2. A grammatical particle that marks past tense
  3. A sign that carries no meaning without a spoken accompaniment
  4. A fingerspelled loan sign borrowed from English

Explanation

Classifier predicates use specific handshapes to represent classes of referents and to show their location, motion, and handling. They function as predicates and are highly productive, since the same handshape can be applied to many referents of a similar class.

Question 6General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

Which statement best characterizes the relationship between ASL and English?

  1. ASL is a dialect of English that uses the hands instead of the voice
  2. ASL is a distinct natural language with its own grammar, unrelated in structure to English Correct answer.
  3. ASL has no grammar and relies on English word order for meaning
  4. ASL is a manually coded form of English used only in schools

Explanation

ASL is a fully developed natural language with its own phonology, morphology, and syntax, and it is not derived from English. Its grammar differs substantially from English, for example in its use of simultaneous structure and nonmanual marking.

Question 7General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

The study of how signs are organized into phrases and sentences in ASL is called which branch of linguistics?

  1. Syntax Correct answer.
  2. Phonology
  3. Semantics
  4. Morphology

Explanation

Syntax is the branch of linguistics concerned with how words and signs combine into phrases and sentences. In ASL, syntax covers issues such as basic sign order, topicalization, and the placement of nonmanual markers over constituents.

Question 8General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

Which of the following is an example of an ASL compound sign?

  1. WHO, a wh-sign used in questions
  2. RUN, inflected for continuative aspect
  3. BROTHER, formed historically from BOY and SAME Correct answer.
  4. BOOK, a single citation-form sign

Explanation

Compounds are signs formed by combining two or more existing signs into one lexical unit, and BROTHER is a standard example derived from BOY plus SAME. Compounding often involves phonological reduction of the source signs.

Question 9General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

In ASL, changing the movement of a verb like GIVE to show who receives the action over and over is best described as which morphological process?

  1. Derivational compounding
  2. Fingerspelled borrowing
  3. Inflectional modification of the verb stem Correct answer.
  4. Reduplication of a noun

Explanation

ASL verbs inflect for person and number by modifying the path and direction of movement, producing forms that encode subject and object. This is inflectional because it adds grammatical information to an existing verb stem without creating a new lexical item.

Question 10General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

Which pair of signs constitutes a minimal pair in ASL?

  1. HAPPY and SAD
  2. TEACHER and STUDENT
  3. MOTHER and FATHER Correct answer.
  4. APPLE and ORANGE

Explanation

MOTHER and FATHER are identical in handshape and movement and differ only in location, which makes them a minimal pair and demonstrates that location is contrastive. A minimal pair must differ in exactly one phonological parameter.

Question 11General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

A signer produces the sign for a location, holds it, raises the brows, and then comments on that location. This structure is best analyzed as which construction?

  1. Passive voice
  2. Topic-comment structure Correct answer.
  3. Relative clause
  4. Imperative sentence

Explanation

Topicalization moves a constituent to the front of the sentence, marks it with raised brows and often a pause, and then comments on it. The held sign followed by a comment is the classic topic-comment pattern in ASL.

Question 12General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

Which description correctly captures the difference between a depicting verb and a plain verb in ASL?

  1. Plain verbs always require spatial agreement, while depicting verbs never do
  2. Depicting verbs use classifier handshapes to show shape and motion, while plain verbs are produced without such depiction Correct answer.
  3. Depicting verbs are fingerspelled, while plain verbs are not
  4. Plain verbs carry nonmanual adverbs, while depicting verbs cannot

Explanation

Depicting verbs, also called classifier predicates, use handshapes that represent a referent's shape or handling and often show motion and location iconically. Plain verbs such as KNOW or LIKE lack this depictive structure and do not take agreement in the same way.

Question 13General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

What does the term "mouth morpheme" mean in ASL linguistics?

  1. A written symbol used to transcribe signs
  2. A sign produced entirely with the mouth
  3. A mouth shape that carries adverbial or size-and-degree meaning alongside a sign Correct answer.
  4. A rule for when to fingerspell

Explanation

Mouth morphemes are conventionalized mouth shapes, such as the 'th' or 'cha' patterns, that add meaning like degree, manner, or size to a manual sign. They are grammatical units and are distinct from simple mouthing of English words.

Question 14General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

In ASL, which mechanism most commonly marks a conditional clause such as "if it rains"?

  1. A single sharp head nod at the end of the clause
  2. Rapid fingerspelling of the English word if
  3. Raised brows, a head tilt, and a pause at the clause boundary Correct answer.
  4. Lowered brows and a backward head tilt throughout the clause

Explanation

Conditional clauses in ASL are marked by raised brows, a head tilt, and a hold or pause that separates the condition from the consequence. The nonmanual marking spreads over the conditional clause and is released at the boundary.

Question 15General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

Which statement about fingerspelling in ASL discourse is most accurate?

  1. Fingerspelling is used only for proper nouns and has no role in ordinary vocabulary
  2. Fingerspelling is a separate language from ASL
  3. Fingerspelling replaces all initialized signs in modern ASL
  4. Fingerspelling can become lexicalized into signs and also marks emphasis or technical terms Correct answer.

Explanation

Fingerspelled sequences can lexicalize into loan signs, as with early forms of signs like JOB or BACK, and fingerspelling is also used for names, technical vocabulary, and emphasis. It is an integrated resource within ASL rather than an external code.

Question 16General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

An ASL signer produces a verb with a straight path from the signer toward the addressee. In terms of agreement, what does this movement typically encode?

  1. No participant roles at all
  2. First-person subject acting on second-person object Correct answer.
  3. Past tense only
  4. Third-person subject acting on third-person object

Explanation

Directional verbs move through space to reflect the participants: a path from the signer toward the addressee encodes first person as source and second person as goal. This spatial agreement is a core feature of ASL verb morphology.

Question 17General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

Which of the following best illustrates the ASL phonological parameter of palm orientation as contrastive?

  1. The difference between a statement and a question, which involves brow position
  2. The difference between the signs CHILDREN and THING, which differ in orientation and movement Correct answer.
  3. The difference between a noun and its related verb, which often involves movement repetition
  4. The difference between a compound and a single sign, which involves lexicalization

Explanation

CHILDREN and THING are a frequently cited minimal pair in which palm orientation is the primary contrastive feature. Demonstrating such pairs shows that orientation functions phonemically in ASL.

Question 18General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

What is the standard term for the spatial framework signers use to keep track of referents during a narrative?

  1. Phonological space
  2. Glossing frame
  3. Signing space Correct answer.
  4. Morpheme box

Explanation

Signing space is the area in front of the signer where referents are established at locations and then referred to by pointing or eye gaze. It allows signers to track multiple participants and is central to ASL discourse structure.

Question 19General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

Which observation would best support the claim that ASL has a productive morphology rather than a fixed list of holistic signs?

  1. Signers can create novel classifier predicates that are understood by addressees without prior exposure Correct answer.
  2. Signers vary in signing speed across regions
  3. Signers use eye gaze to regulate turn-taking
  4. Signers sometimes use English mouthing while signing

Explanation

Productivity is shown when speakers or signers generate new forms from existing morphological patterns and are understood by others. Novel classifier predicates demonstrate that ASL morphology is rule-governed and generative rather than a memorized inventory.

Question 20General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

Which statement correctly describes the status of Simultaneous Communication (SimCom) relative to ASL?

  1. SimCom combines signs with spoken English and typically follows English structure rather than ASL grammar Correct answer.
  2. SimCom is the native language of Deaf children in signing families
  3. SimCom is a dialect of ASL spoken in a specific region
  4. SimCom is identical to ASL because both use the hands

Explanation

SimCom pairs signs with spoken English and generally follows English word order, so it is not equivalent to ASL. ASL grammar uses simultaneous and spatial structures that cannot be produced while speaking English word for word.

Question 21General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

A signer produces the sign for a ball, then uses a bent-V handshape to show the ball rolling toward the left. Which analysis is most accurate?

  1. The bent-V handshape is a fingerspelled letter used as a loan sign
  2. The bent-V handshape is a classifier that depicts a small round object and its path Correct answer.
  3. The bent-V handshape marks past tense on the verb
  4. The bent-V handshape is a nonmanual morpheme

Explanation

The bent-V handshape here functions as a classifier representing a small round object, and its movement depicts the path of that referent. This is a depicting verb construction in which handshape and motion carry the semantic content.

Question 22General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

Which phenomenon best explains why the ASL sign for a concept can change over decades while remaining the same word historically?

  1. The absence of any historical change in ASL
  2. The replacement of all nonmanual markers with fingerspelling
  3. Phonological variation and lexicalization over time, as in the reduced form of a former compound Correct answer.
  4. The direct borrowing of English syntax into ASL

Explanation

Signs undergo historical change through processes such as assimilation, reduction, and lexicalization, so a sign may become more compact or shift in handshape while retaining its meaning. This parallels sound change in spoken languages and shows ASL is a living language with its own history.

Question 23General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

In ASL, the distinction between a noun and a related verb, as in SIT and CHAIR, is most reliably signaled by which set of features?

  1. Raised brows for the noun versus lowered brows for the verb
  2. Fingerspelling for the noun versus a classifier for the verb
  3. Repeated, restrained movement for the noun versus a single, larger movement for the verb Correct answer.
  4. A different handshape for every noun-verb pair

Explanation

Noun-verb pairs in ASL typically differ in movement: nouns tend to use short, repeated, restrained movement, while related verbs use a single, larger movement. This pattern is a productive morphological device and is not marked by brow position or handshape change.

Question 24General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

A researcher argues that ASL syllables can be analyzed in terms of movement as the syllable nucleus. Which piece of evidence would most directly support this claim?

  1. Nonmanual markers spread over entire clauses
  2. All ASL signs contain at least two handshapes
  3. Signs without movement, such as certain held signs, behave differently in phonological processes like reduplication Correct answer.
  4. Fingerspelled words follow English spelling

Explanation

If movement is the syllable nucleus, then signs lacking movement should pattern differently in processes sensitive to syllable structure, such as reduplication and hold deletion. Evidence of that asymmetry supports a movement-based account of the ASL syllable.

Question 25General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

Which statement best captures how ASL marks temporal reference such as past, present, and future?

  1. Through time adverbials and nonmanual cues, with tense often inferred from context rather than a dedicated inflection Correct answer.
  2. Through a fixed word order that always places a time sign last
  3. Through fingerspelling the English tense at the start of each sentence
  4. Through a dedicated verb suffix analogous to English -ed

Explanation

ASL typically establishes time with lexical time signs and contextual cues rather than inflecting verbs with a dedicated tense morpheme. Once a time frame is set, verbs need not carry tense marking, which contrasts with English.

Question 26General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

In ASL phonology, signs like APPLE and ONION differ in handshape, location, movement, and orientation but share the same number of syllables and overall timing. Which term describes the abstract phonological unit that such signs contrast on, analogous to a phoneme in spoken language?

  1. A morpheme, the smallest meaningful unit of a sign
  2. A chereme, the minimal contrastive unit of ASL structure Correct answer.
  3. A nonmanual adverbial, a facial marker that modifies a verb
  4. A classifier, a handshape that represents a category of referent

Explanation

ASL phonology identifies minimal contrastive units, traditionally called cheremes (or primes), which correspond to the parameters of handshape, location, movement, and orientation. Two signs that differ only in one parameter form a minimal pair, showing that the parameter is contrastive. Morphemes and classifiers are meaningful units, not the sub-meaningful contrastive units described here.

Question 27General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

A signer describes a scene by first establishing a referent at a location on the left, then producing a verb whose movement travels from that location toward a second referent established on the right. Which linguistic property of ASL does this most directly illustrate?

  1. Reliance on fingerspelling to introduce new lexical items
  2. Use of space to encode grammatical relations such as subject and object Correct answer.
  3. Dependence on English word order for interpreting arguments
  4. Use of mouth morphemes to convey adjectival intensity

Explanation

ASL uses the signing space syntactically: referents are assigned to locations, and verb movement between those locations marks grammatical relations such as source and goal or subject and object. This is spatial agreement, a core structural property of the language. It is not a lexical borrowing or a mouth-morpheme effect.

Question 28General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

Consider the ASL signs for LOOK-AT and EAT, which share handshape and location but differ in movement pattern. A linguist argues these signs demonstrate that movement is a contrastive parameter. Which observation would most strengthen that argument?

  1. Both signs can be produced with a variety of handshapes without any change in meaning
  2. Both signs are typically accompanied by the same nonmanual marker
  3. The two signs appear with equal frequency in adult conversation
  4. Replacing the movement of one sign with the other changes the meaning while all other parameters are held constant Correct answer.

Explanation

A parameter is contrastive when substituting it alone produces a different sign, which is the logic of a minimal pair. Holding handshape, location, and orientation constant while changing movement, and finding a meaning change, isolates movement as the relevant contrast. Frequency, co-occurring nonmanual markers, and handshape variation do not isolate the parameter.

Question 29General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

An ASL storyteller introduces a character, then shifts the torso and head to that character's position while producing a line of dialogue, then shifts back to a neutral position to narrate. In ASL discourse analysis, what is this technique called?

  1. Lexicalized fingerspelling, in which a fingerspelled sequence becomes a fixed sign
  2. Code-switching, in which the signer alternates between ASL and English
  3. Constructed dialogue, in which the signer enacts a referent's utterance from that referent's perspective Correct answer.
  4. Mouthing, in which the signer silently articulates English words

Explanation

Constructed dialogue (also called constructed action when it depicts actions rather than speech) uses role shift, with changes in body orientation, head position, and gaze to portray a referent. The signer does not merely report speech but performs it from the referent's viewpoint. The other options name unrelated discourse and lexical phenomena.

Question 30General Linguistics and Language Structure of ASL

In ASL, the sign glossed as a plain verb such as WANT does not take spatial agreement, whereas a verb such as GIVE can move between referent locations. Which claim best explains this contrast within ASL morphology?

  1. Plain verbs lack the phonological and semantic properties licensing agreement, while agreeing verbs encode arguments through path movement Correct answer.
  2. Agreeing verbs are actually depicting verbs that show only physical transfer of objects
  3. Plain verbs are borrowed from English and therefore cannot inflect for arguments
  4. All ASL verbs agree, but plain verbs do so with nonmanual markers instead of movement

Explanation

ASL verb classes differ in whether they can take spatial agreement: agreeing verbs such as GIVE direct path movement toward locations associated with arguments, while plain verbs like WANT do not license this inflection. The distinction is grammatical and phonological, not a matter of borrowing. Depicting verbs are a separate class showing shape and motion of referents.

Question 31ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

In ASL phonology, which set of parameters is required to describe a single sign's form?

  1. Location, nonmanual marker, and classifier type
  2. Handshape, mouth morpheme, and eye gaze
  3. Handshape, location, movement, and palm orientation Correct answer.
  4. Movement, topicalization, and word order

Explanation

ASL signs are analyzed as having four core phonological parameters: handshape, location, movement, and palm orientation. Nonmanual features and syntax operate at other levels and are not part of the minimal set defining a sign's citation form.

Question 32ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

Two ASL signs differ only in handshape, such as the contrast between certain signs produced with an open hand versus a closed fist. This contrast demonstrates that handshape functions as:

  1. A phonetic detail with no meaning contrast
  2. A nonmanual prosodic feature
  3. A phoneme-like unit that distinguishes minimal pairs Correct answer.
  4. A purely morphological classifier

Explanation

When substituting one handshape for another changes the meaning of a sign, handshape is acting as a contrastive, phoneme-like unit. Pairs that differ in only one parameter are the ASL analogue of minimal pairs.

Question 33ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

A signer produces a sign with the correct handshape, location, and movement but rotates the palm so it faces the wrong direction, changing the meaning. Which parameter is responsible?

  1. Location
  2. Handshape
  3. Movement
  4. Palm orientation Correct answer.

Explanation

Palm orientation is the parameter that specifies which way the palm faces relative to the body. Altering it while holding other parameters constant can create a different sign or a non-native production.

Question 34ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

In ASL morphology, the sign GIVE produced once with a single straight movement versus repeated with a curved path most directly illustrates:

  1. Inflection for aspect or distribution Correct answer.
  2. Derivational compounding
  3. A phonological assimilation rule
  4. Syntactic topicalization

Explanation

Modifying the movement path of a verb stem to show repeated, continuous, or distributed action is inflectional morphology. The verb root stays the same while movement encodes grammatical aspect or number.

Question 35ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

Which description best captures a classifier predicate in ASL?

  1. A handshape that depicts properties or movement of a referent within a predicate Correct answer.
  2. A fingerspelled loan sign borrowed from English
  3. A nonmanual marker that negates a clause
  4. A bound morpheme that marks past tense on verbs

Explanation

Classifier predicates use specific handshapes to represent categories of referents and their location or motion, functioning as predicates. They are productive constructions rather than fixed lexical signs.

Question 36ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

A signer signs YESTERDAY, then describes an event using unmarked verb forms. This pattern primarily shows that ASL expresses temporal reference through:

  1. Obligatory tense suffixes on every verb
  2. A fixed verb-final word order
  3. Nonmanual negation spreading over the clause
  4. An established time frame plus lexical time signs Correct answer.

Explanation

ASL typically establishes a time frame with a time sign and then leaves verbs unmarked for tense. Temporal adverbs and context carry the time reference rather than verbal inflection.

Question 37ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

In a basic declarative ASL sentence with plain verbs like LOVE or KNOW, the most common unmarked constituent order is:

  1. Object-Verb-Subject
  2. Verb-Subject-Object
  3. Verb-Object-Subject
  4. Subject-Verb-Object Correct answer.

Explanation

Unmarked declaratives in ASL generally follow subject-verb-object order, especially with plain verbs that do not inflect for agreement. Other orders arise through topicalization or other discourse operations.

Question 38ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

A signer raises the eyebrows, tilts the head, and holds the final sign of a constituent before commenting on it. This nonmanual behavior most likely marks:

  1. A conditional clause
  2. Direct quotation
  3. A yes/no question
  4. A topicalized constituent Correct answer.

Explanation

Raised brows with a head tilt and a hold commonly accompany topicalization, setting off the topic before the comment. Yes/no questions use raised brows too, but with different head and body behavior and sentence-final position.

Question 39ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

Which nonmanual pattern is characteristic of a wh-question in ASL?

  1. Lowered brows, furrowed forehead, and a slight head tilt Correct answer.
  2. Raised brows and wide eyes throughout
  3. Head nod with a smile
  4. Neutral face with no nonmanual marking

Explanation

Wh-questions in ASL are typically marked by lowered or furrowed brows and a slight head tilt, often held over the wh-phrase or the clause. This contrasts with the raised brows of yes/no questions.

Question 40ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

The ASL sign for a concept is produced with a repeated, small, quick movement to convey ongoing or habitual action. This modification is best analyzed as:

  1. An aspectual inflection of the verb Correct answer.
  2. A syntactic movement rule
  3. A derivational change of word class
  4. A phonological deletion

Explanation

Repeating and shortening a verb's movement to signal ongoing or habitual action is an aspectual inflection. The lexical root is retained while movement encodes grammatical aspect.

Question 41ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

In ASL, the difference between the noun and verb forms of pairs like SIT/CHAIR often involves:

  1. A change from one-handed to two-handed articulation
  2. A switch from lexicalized to fingerspelled form
  3. A difference in movement repetition and duration Correct answer.
  4. A change in the nonmanual topic marker

Explanation

Related noun-verb pairs in ASL frequently differ in movement: nouns tend to have short, repeated, restrained movement, while verbs have a single longer movement. This is a phonological and morphological distinction.

Question 42ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

Which statement about ASL compounds such as the sign for 'parents' formed from MOTHER and FATHER is accurate?

  1. Compounds often undergo phonological reduction and assimilation at the boundary Correct answer.
  2. Compounds are always fingerspelled abbreviations
  3. Compounds cannot be analyzed as single lexical items
  4. Compounds retain the full citation form of each root with a pause between them

Explanation

When two signs combine into a compound, the result typically shows phonological changes such as reduction of movement and assimilation of handshape or location. These changes distinguish lexicalized compounds from simple sequences of signs.

Question 43ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

A signer uses the same handshape to represent a car moving along a path and then uses a different handshape to show a person walking. This use of handshapes is best described as:

  1. Classifier predicate construction Correct answer.
  2. Phonological minimal pairing
  3. Fingerspelled borrowing
  4. Nonmanual adverbial marking

Explanation

Handshapes that depict the class of a referent and its movement along a path are classifier predicates. They are productive depictive constructions rather than fixed lexical signs.

Question 44ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

In ASL syntax, a sentence like 'The boy, the girl chased him' produced with the object fronted and marked nonmanually is an example of:

  1. Subject-verb agreement
  2. Topicalization Correct answer.
  3. Compounding
  4. Passive voice

Explanation

Fronting a constituent and marking it with nonmanual features such as raised brows and a head tilt is topicalization. The fronted element becomes the topic and is followed by the comment.

Question 45ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

Which best explains why ASL is described as having a 'simultaneous' morphology?

  1. Grammatical information is often layered onto a single sign through movement and nonmanual features Correct answer.
  2. Morphemes are always fingerspelled simultaneously with speech
  3. Syntax is replaced entirely by nonmanual features
  4. All morphemes are produced in strict linear order like English affixes

Explanation

ASL frequently encodes multiple morphemes at once, such as a verb root carrying aspectual movement while the face carries adverbial or grammatical information. This layering contrasts with the more linear affixation typical of English.

Question 46ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

The ASL sign glossed as NOT-YET is often accompanied by a specific nonmanual marker. Which marker is most associated with it?

  1. Lowered brows and furrowed forehead
  2. Raised brows and wide eyes
  3. Tongue protruding and head tilted back Correct answer.
  4. Neutral face with a head nod

Explanation

The sign NOT-YET is characteristically produced with the tongue protruding between the teeth and the head tilted back. This nonmanual component is lexicalized with the sign.

Question 47ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

Which of the following best describes 'verb agreement' in ASL for directional verbs such as GIVE?

  1. The verb receives a past-tense suffix
  2. The verb is always produced in a neutral location
  3. The verb's movement is directed from the subject's location toward the object's location Correct answer.
  4. The verb is replaced by a fingerspelled English form

Explanation

Directional or agreeing verbs move between referential locations in signing space, starting near the subject and ending near the object. This spatial movement encodes grammatical agreement.

Question 48ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

A signer produces a sign with a handshape that is slightly altered from the citation form but remains intelligible in context. This variation is best analyzed as:

  1. A syntactic error
  2. A nonmanual grammatical marker
  3. A morphological compound
  4. Phonetic variation within an acceptable range Correct answer.

Explanation

Small changes in handshape that do not create a different sign fall within the phonetic variation tolerated by the language. Phonological contrast only arises when a substitution changes meaning.

Question 49ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

Which pair of signs is most likely to form a minimal pair in ASL?

  1. Two signs identical in all parameters
  2. Two signs that are both fingerspelled
  3. Two signs differing in every parameter
  4. Two signs differing in exactly one parameter Correct answer.

Explanation

A minimal pair consists of two signs that differ in only one phonological parameter while all others remain the same. This isolates the contrastive value of that parameter.

Question 50ASL Linguistics: Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax

In ASL, spatial verbs like MOVE or PUT typically incorporate:

  1. Tense suffixes
  2. Information about the source, path, and goal of motion Correct answer.
  3. A fingerspelled English preposition
  4. Nonmanual negation only

Explanation

Spatial verbs encode the path and endpoints of motion directly through the movement of the sign in space. The source and goal locations are part of the verb's articulation.