Revisiting gradability in American Sign Language (ASL)

Abstract

This paper addresses gradability in American Sign Language (ASL). The literature has argued that languages may or may not introduce degree variables, i.e., there is cross-linguistic variation as to whether languages should be analyzed as degree- or degreeless. For ASL, the degree-based analysis has been assumed or explicitly proposed. For example, due to the visual nature of ASL (as a language that uses the physical signing space), it has been suggested that it may be able to readily represent scales iconically in the signing space. In contrast, we argue that ASL is a degreeless language, which further means that its modality does not necessarily readily translate into the iconic representation of scales in the signing space. Our discussion is based on a comprehensive examination of 31 adjectives across different constructions (e.g., different comparison strategies, questions targeting degrees, crisp judgments, etc.). We offer evidence from elicitation data from 6 consultants with different profiles.