Question words always occur at the end of sentences, resulting in shifts from SOV to VOS
word order when the subject is a question word as shown in Example 2 and SVO word order when
the object is a question word as shown in Example 3. Note that there are a number of different signs
for eating and that “who” and “what” only differ in facial expression.
Example 2. Object, Verb, Subject Word Order in HSL When the Subject is a Question Word
Best English Translation: “Who eats / ate pineapple?
Example 3. Object, Verb, Subject Word Order in HSL When the Subject is a Question Word
Best English Translation: “What does / did the woman eat?
Before closing, it should be mentioned that there is another sign language in Hawai`i, which
many people confuse with HSL—Creolized Hawai`i Sign Language (CHSL). CHSL is a creolization
of HSL and ASL and was formed after ASL was brought to Hawai`i. CHSL shares 54% of its
vocabulary with HSL and 42% of vocabulary with ASL, with 4% being distinctly unique signs (Clark
et al., 2016). Thus, CHSL is a distinct language from HSL and ASL, but it shows strong historical
relationships to both. People who use CHSL often refer to it as HSL, which has led to confusion over
the true nature of HSL. CHSL, like HSL, is also critically endangered since it is estimated that there
are only 30 elderly users of CHSL.
Finally, it should be noted that in order to continue the documentation of HSL and to shift
efforts to the conservation and revitalization of HSL, a new permanent course, LING 636 Hawaiian
Sign Language Linguistics: Documentation, Conservation, and Revitalization of HSL, has been
established in the Department of Linguistics at UHM. This course will help develop materials for >>>
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The Power of ASL
8
Summer 2017 – Issue 6