Non Manual Markers In Asl

American Sign Linguistic communication: Nonmanual Markers (NMMs)

Nonmanual markers consist of the various facial expressions, head tilting, shoulder raising, mouthing, and similar signals that we add together to our manus signs to create meaning.
The sign for nonmanual markers is to fingerspell "NMM."

Examples of nonmanual markers:

ane. Slightly opening the mouth and placing the natural language over the bottom teeth so that information technology touches the lower lip. This nonmanual marker is used with the sign, "Non-However."

2. Bringing your cheek and your shoulder closer together while tightening the muscles in your cheek (every bit if yous were grinning with half your face). This is often abbreviated equally "c-southward" meaning "cheek to shoulder." This nonmanual marker is used with signs similar, "RECENT" and "At that place" to hateful, "very contempo" and "right there (close)."

Speakers of English tend to inflect their voices to indicate they are asking a question. Signers of ASL too inflect their questions, simply instead of using vocalisation inflection they employ non-manual markers. For example:

YES/NO Question Expression:
When signing a question that can be answered "yes or no" yous raise your eyebrows and tilt your head forward a bit.

"WH-Q" Question Expression:
When signing a question involving "who, what, when, where, how, how much, how many, which, or why" you apply what is called a "wh" question facial expression. The "wh" facial expression "furrows" the eyebrows a scrap and may tilt the head back a fleck--while the torso might lean forward a bit.
Here are some examples of "wh" question expression:

Also see: Nonmanual Signals

In a message dated 7/10/2005 vi:15:27 PM Pacific Daylight Fourth dimension, ______ writes:

Dear Beak Vicars:

I used your website to help deafened friends with vocabulary. I am an ASL/Deaf Studies Specialist. I besides practice computer graphics. I need to know where not-manuals came from? Who gave that idea equally a developments. Are there whatever resources on history of non-manuals signals?

Thank you, grinning

Melinda

Melinda,

Nonmanual Markers adult naturally every bit part of the language in the same way they did with spoken English language. For example, "Why do you nod your caput to mean yes and milk shake information technology to hateful no?" Information technology just started happening that way over time. Information technology could accept gone the other way: Bulgarians milk shake their caput to mean yes and nod their head to mean no.
If you wish to study "nonmanual markers" in more depth y'all will likely discover more resources by first researching "facial expressions," and "gestures."

Cordially,

Dr. Bill

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