Adjectives in German Sign Language – A multi-methodological approach to word order in the nominal domain

• Applicant: Dr. Anne Wienholz
• Subject Area: General and Comparative Linguistics, Experimental Linguistics, Typology, Non-European Languages
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 579693978

This project combines different methods to investigate the position of attributive adjectives relative to the noun they modify and their effects on language production and processing in German Sign Language (Deutsche Gebärdensprache: DGS). Combining different methodological approaches to investigate the same phenomenon permits a better understanding of the grammatical structure in focus. Sign languages allow for a considerable amount of flexibility with respect to word order, often using more than one canonical word order for simple declarative sentences. First observations suggest that this flexibility can also be applied to the position of the adjective in relation to the noun it modifies. Sign language adjectives can occur in prenominal or postnominal position or even simultaneously to the modified noun. However, sign language literature is lacking systematic research on adjectives in sign languages. Therefore, this project evaluates corpus data and controlled natural production data from deaf early signers to characterize the use of word order structures within the nominal domain. As shown in previous research on spoken languages, word order differences in noun-adjective pairs affect cognitive language processing and shapes the way speakers identify a referent. First evidence from sign languages suggests that similar effects are present during processing of adjective -noun pairs in sign languages containing color adjectives. This project determines whether the same holds for non-color adjectives and whether visual saliency of referent properties influences processing. To this end, experimental eye tracking data are assessed to reveal language-specific and language-independent impacts on real time language processing. The project contributes to our understanding of the structures of an understudied language in the visual modality. It allows for cross-linguistic comparisons with previous research and broadens our knowledge about universal mechanisms within the visual modality as well as the influence of language modality on linguistic structures.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants