NCEA L1 NZSL flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Yes/no question non-manuals

In NZSL, a yes/no question is marked by raised eyebrows, a forward head tilt and a held final sign; the signer's gaze stays on the addressee.

Wh-question non-manuals

Wh-questions in NZSL use furrowed or lowered eyebrows and a head tilt, with the wh-sign such as WHAT or WHERE often appearing at the end of the clause.

Negation with headshake

A headshake spread across the verb phrase negates an NZSL clause; a negative sign such as NOT or NONE may also follow the predicate, and both markers can occur together.

Indexical pronouns

NZSL pronouns point to their referents: first person points to the signer's chest, second person points to the addressee, and third person points to a location established in signing space.

Role shift

Role shift marks reported speech or action: the signer shifts torso, head and gaze to portray a character, then returns to neutral body orientation to resume narration.

Referent placement

A new person or object is placed at a point in signing space; later pointing or verb movement toward that point refers back to the same referent without renaming it.

Time signs first

NZSL time signs such as YESTERDAY, NOW or TOMORROW usually appear early in a clause and establish the time frame, so the verb does not need a separate tense marker.

Backchannelling signals

Listeners show attention in NZSL with head nods, eyebrow raises, mouth patterns and signs such as YES or RIGHT while maintaining eye contact, without claiming a full turn.

Spatial consistency

Interpreters track meaning by noticing where a signer places referents; if a person is established on the left, later leftward points or verb movements refer to that person.

Classifier predicates

Classifier handshapes depict an object's shape, size or handling; a flat hand can show a flat surface, a C-hand a cylinder, and a V-hand legs or eyes in context.

Non-manual adverbs

Mouth, cheek and head movements can modify a verb in NZSL: pursed lips may signal care, puffed cheeks may signal large size, and a head tilt can signal manner.

Clause boundary cues

Pauses, blinks, head resets and changes in eyebrow position mark clause boundaries in signed texts; readers use these cues to divide continuous signing into propositions.

Topic-comment structure

In NZSL a topic often comes first with raised eyebrows, and the comment follows; the comment carries the main assertion about the established topic.

Constructed action

Constructed action is a stretch of signing where the signer performs a character's actions or words; the reader attributes the shifted body and face to that character.

Genre structure

Signed texts follow genre patterns: narratives have orientation, complication and resolution; explanations link cause and effect; procedures present ordered steps that the viewer can follow.

Gaze as grammar

Eye gaze is grammatical in NZSL: gaze at the addressee marks second person, gaze at a spatial point marks a referent, and a gaze shift can signal role shift.

Purpose statement opening

An NZSL presentation should open with a clear purpose and topic, then use discourse markers such as FIRST, NEXT and FINALLY to signal the structure of the body.

Spatial map setup

At the start of a signed text, assign each person, place or object a consistent location in signing space and reuse that location; moving referents later confuses the audience.

Non-manual grammar

NZSL grammar is carried by non-manual features: eyebrows mark questions and topics, headshakes mark negation, mouth patterns mark adverbs, and eye gaze marks reference and role shift.

Topic-comment order

NZSL commonly uses topic-comment order rather than English subject-verb-object order; the topic is fronted with raised eyebrows, then the comment follows with the main information.

Cohesion in signed text

Cohesion in NZSL is built through pronoun points, spatial verb agreement, lexical repetition and role shift rather than through English function words such as articles and prepositions.

Phrase boundary holds

Hold the final sign of a phrase briefly and keep the hand in place before moving to the next phrase; this visual hold marks boundaries and improves clarity for the audience.

Narrative structure

A signed narrative typically includes orientation (who, where, when), a complication, evaluation of events and a resolution; each stage is marked by pauses and non-manual changes.

Recording for review

Recording a signed presentation lets the signer check handshape clarity, location consistency, non-manual grammar and eye contact with the imagined audience before final delivery.

NZSL official language

The New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006 made NZSL an official language of New Zealand; it is a natural language with its own grammar, not a signed form of English.

BANZSL family

NZSL belongs to the BANZSL family, historically related to British Sign Language and Auslan; despite shared roots, NZSL has developed its own vocabulary and grammar.

Attention-getting conventions

Deaf cultural attention-getting includes waving a hand, tapping a shoulder, stomping the floor or flashing lights; eye contact is maintained during conversation and looking away can end a turn.

Name signs

Name signs are given by Deaf community members, often based on appearance, behaviour or a characteristic; a person does not invent their own name sign in Deaf cultural practice.

NZSL Week

NZSL Week is held each May to raise awareness of New Zealand Sign Language; Deaf Aotearoa is a national organisation that promotes the week and provides advocacy and services.

Māori Deaf protocols

Māori Deaf people may navigate both Deaf and Māori cultural protocols, including whanaungatanga, manaakitanga and marae-based tapu and noa; interpreters need cultural knowledge as well as language skill.

Milan Congress 1880

The 1880 Milan Congress endorsed oralism in Deaf education and influenced policies internationally; in New Zealand, the Sumner School for Deaf opened in 1880 and sign language was long suppressed.

NZSL Board

The NZSL Board was established in 2015 to promote and maintain New Zealand Sign Language; it advises government and supports NZSL in education, media and public services.