3.3.3.1. Markers of role shift
In DGS, role shift is mainly marked non-manually. The non-manual markers to indicate a role shift may comprise a shift of the body along the midsagittal axis according to the location of the signer of the reported context in the signing space (i.e. the location ‘3a’ in the example below) and a head turn as well as a shift of the eye gaze towards the imagined addressee of the reported context (i.e. ‘3b’ in the example below). In the example below, the role shift marking consist of a shift in the body, a head turn and a break in the eye gaze away from the actual addressee. Example (a) shows an embedded yes-no interrogative clause accompanied by the corresponding non-manual marking (i.e., raised eye brows and head forward) and example (b) shows an embedded declarative.
rs:3a
y/n
a. t-i-m ix3a a-n-n-a ix3b ask ix2 sad ix2
‘Tim asked Anna whether she is sad.’
rs:3a
b. t-i-m ix3a a-n-n-a ix3b tell tomorrow 1help2
‘Tim said to Anna that he will help her tomorrow.’
(based on Herrmann & Steinbach, 2012: 211)
Facial expressions may also be used for specific behavioral characteristics of the reported signer and therefore express both grammatical as well as affective facial features of the reported character. Ranking the non-manual markers for role shift, a break in eye gaze along with facial expressions are the minimal markings of a role shift, followed by an additional adjustment of the head position and optionally also a movement of the body, resulting in a maximal marking including all four non-manual markers. These four non-manuals usually scope over the entire embedded clause or gradually increase along with the embedded sentence, developing throughout the quotation with the strongest marking found sentence-finally.