A Grammar of German Sign Language (DGS)

2.3.1.6. Position for different types of adverbs and adjuncts

Temporal adverbs are usually placed in the sentence-initial position as in the following example.

yesterday ix_1pl s-e-a_a drive_a

‘We drove to the sea yesterday.’

Local adverbs as outside are typically placed preverbally as demonstrated below.

children outside play

‘The children are playing outside.’

Adverbs of manner are usually expressed nonmanually. The nonmanual markers (eyegaze, facial expression, mouth gestures and head tilts) accompany the verb as illustrated in the following example.

eg-down

poss₁ sister book read

‘My sister is bored while reading the book.’

Furthermore, the speed, movement and place of articulation of the verb sign can be manipulated to convey the adverbial information, which is demonstrated by the following example.

mountain car cl(,):‘go_slowly’

‘The car goes slowly down the mountain.’

Moreover, it is also possible to express manner adverbs (quietly, easily, hard, late) manually as shown below.

child injured doctor fast come

‘The child is injured and the doctor comes fast.’

(recreated from Papaspyrou et al., 2008: 170)

Adverbs of frequency can be expressed by manual signs, which can occupy different positions in the sentence as shown in the following examples (a) and (b). In addition, it suffices to reduplicate the movement of the predicate to express the adverbial information or the reduplication of the verb can occur together with a manual adverb as in (c).

a. ix₁ regular hairdresser visit

‘I regularly go to the hairdresser.’

b. poss₁ partner wood often hike

‘My partner often goes hiking in the woods.

c. poss₁ train often to-late++

‘My train is often too late.’