A Grammar of German Sign Language (DGS)

2.4.1. Subject and object null arguments

Usually, the subject and/or object argument of a verb can be omitted or dropped under certain conditions. In DGS, argument omission is observed when the verb is marked for agreement as in (a) [Morphology 3.1] or when then referent of the argument is retrievable from the previous context [Pragmatics 2].

a. man ix_3a child ix_3b meet / book _3ashow_3b

‘The man meets child. (He) shows (him) the book.’

(based on Glück & Pfau, 1998)

b. next week ix_1pl exam write / library ix(loc)_a meet

‘Next week, we will write exams. (We) meet at the library.’

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)