---

a) Clause negation

Negating a statement means that the proposition of an utterance is not to be true. A clause can be negated by means of negation such as negative headshakes.

In Austrian Sign Language a proposition can be negated manually and/or non-manually. Manual means of negation are negative signs as shown by the following examples:
“S/he has not said anything.” (NOT-YET)
“S/he has not come.” (NOT or NO)
“S/he does not believe/think (that).” (NO or MUST-NOT)

Non-manual means of negation are headshakes which can negate a proposition without any negation signs (as described above). In “s/he does not sign”, “s/he does not understand”, and “s/he does not come” the propositions are only negated by negative headshakes. Current findings in ÖGS show that in natural discourse such as monologues, dialogues, signed lines of thoughts headshakes frequently occur, if a clause is to be negated. For example, the clauses “I do not require help” or “there is no communication” are negated by negative headshakes. Negative headshakes can co-occur with the entire clause (such as in “I have not yet written the offer”) or with a part of the clause (such as in “the boss has not informed me” or “the person has not answered”). In the latter, in most instances in the data negative headshakes co-occur with the verb and negation sign. What is more, the data show that negative questions (such as “Don’t you understand?” or “Has the person not answered?”) and negated if-clauses in conditionals (such as “If I don’t have to work, I will go on holiday.”) tend to be accompanied as a whole by negative headshakes. (The clauses which are underlined are accompanied by headshakes.)

---

b.) Positive - negative

Contrasting due to negative and positive evaluation, respectively

Consecutive clauses can bear a (semantic-logical) relation. One of these consecutive clauses can stimulate a negative estimation, while the other clause can stimulate a positive one. The positive estimation of one of the consecutive clauses can be caused by positive feelings or an advantage, while the negative estimation of the other clause can be caused by a negative feelings or a disadvantage. The order of the clauses stimulating the positive and negative estimation is not of importance. It can be both negative-positive and positive-negative, respectively. Contrasting consecutive clauses can be expressed by non-manual means. Head nodding movements, which accompany one of the semantically related consecutive clauses, lead to a positive estimation. Headshakes, which accompany the other clauses, lead to a negative estimation. This is shown by the following examples: “I was chairman of the club, but now I am any more interested in it.” In this example ‘being a chairman’ was associated with a positive estimation, but nowadays this function is associated with a negative estimation due to lack of interest.
“I am not fond of volleyball, rather I prefer football.”
“If the alpine inn is open, I go in. If it is closed, I go home.”
(The clauses which are underlined are accompanied by headshakes.)

Contrasting by the signs ANYWAY and RATHER

Consecutive clauses which bear a (semantic-logical) relation and which stimulate a negative and positive estimation, respectively, can be connected by the signs ANYWAY and RATHER. In these cases of expressing negative-positive contrast, only the signs ANYWAY and RATHER are accompanied by small, fast headshakes as shown in the following examples: “No matter whether the alpine inn is open or closed, rather I go home.”
“No matter whether I fix the computer or not. It remains broken anyway.”
(Each part of speech that refers to the signs ANYWAY and RATHER – accompanied by headshakes – is underlined.)

Positive - negative - contrast

---

c.) Yes-no questions

Corpus analysis on ÖGS show that yes-no questions, which frequently occur in dialogues, are frequently accompanied by headshakes (and head nods, respectively). However, the reason for these head movements is not to negate (or assert) the clause; rather the dialogue partner is prompt to affirm or negate the question. This is shown by the following example:
“Tomorrow will be a party in the club. Will you be there?” (Meaning somehow: “Do you come too?” In the first realization the clause which is underlined is accompanied by headshakes; in the second realization this clause is accompanied by head nods.) The question in this example is first accompanied by headshakes, then by head nods. These head movements does not negate or assert the clause; rather they prompt the dialogue partner to affirm or negate the question. In such instances both headshakes and head nods are used for the same purpose.

---

d.) Intensification

I natural signed discourse headshakes occur which neither negate clauses nor stimulate a negative estimation due to a positive-negative contrast; rather these headshakes are used to intensify a particular meaning. In doing so, signs such as “incredible”, “unbelievable”, and so forth are accompanied by fast, small headshakes in order to give significance to the statement. The following example shows this:
“My son draws incredibly well! Like a professional! (The parts of the clauses which are underlined are accompanied by headshakes.)

 

---

e.) Negative feeling

In natural signed discourse headshakes occur which neither negate clauses nor stimulate a negative estimation due to a positive-negative contrast; rather a sign which has a negative connotation arouses a negative feeling which is expressed by these kind of headshakes. Examples are “being closed”, “being cut”, or “being canceled”. (The utterances which are underlined are accompanied by headshakes.) Headshakes which accompany these signs do not negate them (i.e. “something is not closed”); rather these headshakes refer to the negative emotions which go together with these signs.
These headshakes are not constrained by the clause structure. They occur in the context of the sign which arouses the negative feeling. The intensity of the shaking movement varies depending on context and the individual style of each signer.
The following example shows this:
“We have planned an excursion by bus. To do so, 30 to 40 persons have to register. So far, only ten person have registered. If the situation stays like this, we cancel it.” (The parts of the utterance which is underlined is accompanied by headshakes.)