A Grammar of German Sign Language (DGS)

PDF (Oct 2020)

4.1. Number

DGS uses different strategies to mark plurality on nouns. One common strategy is to use quantifiers [Lexicon 3.10.2], [Syntax 4.4] as in (a) or numerals [Lexicon 3.10.1] as in (b).

a. many book

‘many books’

b. five book

‘five books’

In addition, plurality is realized by reduplication of classifier constructions [Morphology 5]. In the DGS examples below number on nouns is marked via reduplication of a Size-and-Shape-Specifier (SASS) as in (a) or reduplication of an entity classifier as in (b).

a. paper sass++

‘Paper posters’

(based on Pfau & Steinbach, 2006: 149)

b. table book cl(]):be_located_on++

‘Books are located on the table next to each other.’

(based on Pfau & Steinbach, 2005:127)

List of editors

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

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Bibliographical reference for citation

The entire grammar:
Sina Proske, Derya Nuhbalaoglu, Annika Herrmann, Jana Hosemann & Markus Steinbach (eds.). 2020. A Grammar of German Sign Language (DGS). 1st ed. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series). (http://thesignhub.eu/grammar/dgs) (Accessed 31-10-2021)

A chapter:
Smith, Mary. 2020. Syntax: 3. Coordination and Subordination. In Sina Proske, Derya Nuhbalaoglu, Annika Herrmann, Jana Hosemann and Markus Steinbach (eds.), A Grammar of German Sign Language (DGS). 1st ed. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series), 230-237. ((https://thesignhub.eu/grammar/dgs) (Accessed 31-10-2021)

A section:
Smith, Mary. 2020. Phonology: 1.1.1.2. Finger configuration. In Sina Proske, Derya Nuhbalaoglu, Annika Herrmann, Jana Hosemann and Markus Steinbach (eds.), A Grammar of German Sign Language (DGS). 1st ed. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series), 230-237. (http://thesignhub.eu/grammar/dgs) (Accessed 31-10-2021)