# German Sign Language

German Sign Language (German: Deutsche Gebärdensprache, DGS) is the sign language of the deaf community in Germany, Luxembourg and in the German-speaking community of Belgium. It is unclear how many use German Sign Language as their main language; Gallaudet University estimated 50,000 as of 1986. The language has evolved through use in deaf communities over hundreds of years.

## Recognition

Germany has a very strong oralist tradition and historically has seen a suppression of sign language. German Sign Language was first legally recognised in The Federal Disability Equality Act (2002) in May 2002. Since then, deaf people have a legal entitlement to Sign Language interpreters when communicating with federal authorities, free of charge.
Very few television programs include an interpreter; those that do are the news and a news "round-up". There is at least one programme conducted entirely in German Sign Language called Sehen statt Hören (Seeing Instead of Hearing), a documentary-style programme produced by the Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) and broadcast on Saturday mornings on Bayerischer Rundfunk and the other regional state broadcasters in Germany.
In 2018, the Luxembourgish Chamber of Deputies voted unanimously to recognise German Sign Language.

## German and German Sign Language

German Sign Language is unrelated to spoken German. While spoken German builds sentences following a subject – verb – object pattern, German Sign Language uses a subject object verb strategy. Thus, the two have very different grammars, though as the dominant language of the region, German has had some influence on German Sign Language. A signed system that follows German grammar, Signed German (Lautsprachbegleitende Gebärden or Lautbegleitende Gebärden, "sound-accompanying signs"), is used in education. It is not used as a natural means of communication between deaf people. Another system of manually representing German is cued speech, known as Phonembestimmes Manualsystem (Phonemic Manual System).

## Manual alphabet and fingerspelling

German Sign Language uses a one-handed manual alphabet ('Fingeralphabet' in German) derived from the French manual alphabet of the 18th century; it is related to manual alphabets used across Europe and in North America. It differs from the ASL manual alphabet in the shape of the letter T and in the addition of a letter SCH (a 'five' hand). The additional letters for Ä, Ö, Ü, and ß are formed by moving the letters for A, O, U, and S a short distance downwards.

## Dialects and related languages

Regional variants of German Sign Language include Hamburg, Berlin, and Munich sign. Sign languages of regions in the former East Germany have a greater divergence from sign languages of the western regions; some may be unrelated. Polish Sign Language is descended from German Sign Language. Israeli Sign Language may be as well, as it evolved from the sign language used by German Jewish teachers who opened a school for deaf children in Jerusalem in 1932, and still shows some resemblance to its German counterpart. It is not related to Austrian Sign Language, which is used in parts of southern Germany, nor to Swiss Sign Language, both of which are part of the French Sign Language family, though they have had some influence from German Sign Language.

## Notation systems

Everyday users of German Sign Language use no written form of the language. In academic contexts, German Sign Language is usually described with the Hamburg notation system or HamNoSys. SignWriting also has its adherents in Germany.

## Grammar

The grammar of German Sign Language may be described in terms of the conventional linguistic categories phonology, morphology, morphosyntax and syntax.

### Phonology

Signs are made up of a combination of different elements from each of the classes of distinctive features: handshape, hand orientation, location and movement. If one of these elements is changed, it can result in a sign with a completely different meaning. Two signs differing in only one element are deemed to be a minimal pair. German Sign Language uses 32 handshapes, of which six are basic handshapes found in all sign languages.
Two-handed signs are signs which are necessarily performed with both hands. Their formation is in accordance with certain phonotactic limitations, such as the rule of symmetry (when both hands move at the same time, they have the same handshape) and the rule of dominance (if the two hands have different handshapes, only the dominant hand is moved while the non-dominant hand remains passive).
Uninflected lexical signs in German Sign Language have at most two syllables. Syllables consist of two syllabic positions, described as Hold (H) and Movement (M). Holds consist of the handshape together with the hand orientation (together referred to as the hand configuration) at a specific location in signing space. Holds do not contain any change of location (movement from one location to another). Movements, on the other hand, involve a change of location and may involve secondary movements such as wiggling of the fingers. Syllables may then be grouped into the following types: M (the minimal syllable), HM, MH, HMH (the maximal syllable). In the case of HM syllables, for example, the hand configuration of the Movement moves away from the location of the Hold. A syllable of type M can consist of the following specifications: a path movement (from one location to another), a path movement with secondary movement (such as wiggling or twisting), or a secondary movement without path movement. The syllable type H (a segment without a Movement) is not allowed for phonotactical reasons.
An elementary component of lexical signs are non-manual lexical markings, such as movements of eyes (rolling, widening), mouth (puffing, rounding) and face, as well as the whole head (nodding, tilting) and upper body (leaning). These are obligatory accompaniments of a quarter of all lexical signs. Making visual syllables with the mouth is referred to as mouthing.

### Syntax
#### Clause structure
##### Unmarked word order

The unmarked word order in DGS is subject-object-verb, similar to languages such as Turkish, Japanese and Latin, but differing from German.
[PRON]$_2$
you
subject
ARBEIT
work
object
SUCH-
search
verb
[PRON]$_2$ ARBEIT SUCH-
you work search
subject object verb
'You are looking for a job.'
[PRON]$_1$
I
Subject
BROT
bread
Object
$_1$GEB-$_2$[cl:Brot]
$_{I-}$give$_{-you(-something-bread-shaped)}$
Verb
[PRON]$_1$ BROT $_1$GEB-$_2$[cl:Brot]
I bread $_{I-}$give$_{-you(-something-bread-shaped)}$
Subject Object Verb
'I give you (the) bread.'
If an indirect object appears in the sentence, it stands before the direct object.
[PRON]$_1$
I
Subject
[POSS]$_1$ VATER$_3$
my father
indirect object
BROT
bread
direct object
$_1$GEB-$_3$[cl:Brot]
$_{I-}$give$_{-him(-something-bread-shaped)}$
verb
[PRON]$_1$ {[POSS]$_1$ VATER$_3$} BROT $_1$GEB-$_3$[cl:Brot]
I {my father} bread $_{I-}$give$_{-him(-something-bread-shaped)}$
Subject {indirect object} {direct object} verb
'I give my father (the) bread.'
In sentences with chains of verbs, auxiliary verbs and similar usually appear after the full verb, the opposite of English word order.
[PRON]$_2$
you
Subject
ARBEIT
work
object
SUCH-
search
"full verb"
MÜSS-
must
"auxiliary"
[PRON]$_2$ ARBEIT SUCH- MÜSS-
you work search must
Subject object {"full verb"} "auxiliary"
'You have to look for a job.'
[PRON]$_1$
I
Subject
RADFAHR-
ride-a-bike
"full verb"
KÖNN-NICHT
cannot
"auxiliary
[PRON]$_1$ RADFAHR- KÖNN-NICHT
I ride-a-bike cannot
Subject {"full verb"} "auxiliary
'I can't ride a bike.'
[PRON]$_1$
I
Subject
KOMM-
come
"full verb"
VERSUCH-
try
"auxiliary"
[PRON]$_1$ KOMM- VERSUCH-
I come try
Subject {"full verb"} "auxiliary"
'I'll try to come.'
[PRON]$_1$
I
Subject
WOHNUNG
apartment
Object
PUTZ-
clean
"full verb"
KEINE-LUST-HAB-
can't-be-bothered
"Modalverb"
[PRON]$_1$ WOHNUNG PUTZ- KEINE-LUST-HAB-
I apartment clean can't-be-bothered
Subject Object {"full verb"} "Modalverb"
'I can't be bothered cleaning the apartment.'
The Personal Agreement Marker (glossed as "PAM"), which looks almost like the sign for "person" and may be accompanied by the mouthing "auf" ("on"), is a sign used to indicate the location in signing space of animate objects when the verb in the sentence does not do this. It roughly fills the roll of object pronouns, however it seems to function more as an auxiliary verb, inflecting for person where the main verb does not. Although there is considerable variation, especially across dialects, it tends to occur where auxiliaries occur, after the verb, rather than in the object slot. The benefactive marker (glossed as "BEM") is similarly placed.
[PRON]$_1$
I
Subject
LIEB-
love
"full verb"
[PAM]$_2$
you
"auxiliary"
[PRON]$_1$ LIEB- [PAM]$_2$
I love you
Subject {"full verb"} "auxiliary"
'I love you.'
[PRON]$_1$
I
Subject
ARZT$_3$
doctor
Object
LIEB-
love
"full verb"
[PAM]$_3$
him/her
"auxiliary"
[PRON]$_1$ ARZT$_3$ LIEB- [PAM]$_3$
I doctor love him/her
Subject Object {"full verb"} "auxiliary"
'I love the doctor.'
[PRON]$_1$
I
Subject
BUCH
book
object
KAUF-
buy
"full verb"
[BEM]$_2$
for-you
"auxiliary"
[PRON]$_1$ BUCH KAUF- [BEM]$_2$
I book buy for-you
Subject object {"full verb"} "auxiliary"
'I bought a book for you.'
Time expressions (tomorrow, next week) appear at the beginning of the sentence (as a discourse topic).
GESTERN
yesterday
Time
FRAU$_3$
woman
Subject
[POSS]$_1$ SCHWESTER$_4$
my sister
Indirect object
BUCH
book
Direct object
$_3$GEB-$_4$[cl:Buch]
$_{she}$-give$_{-her(-something-book-shaped)}$
Verb
GESTERN FRAU$_3$ {[POSS]$_1$ SCHWESTER$_4$} BUCH $_3$GEB-$_4$[cl:Buch]
yesterday woman {my sister} book $_{she}$-give$_{-her(-something-book-shaped)}$
Time Subject {Indirect object} {Direct object} Verb
'Yesterday a/the woman gave my sister a/the book.'
Phrases specifying location tend to occur at the beginning of the sentence (after the time information).
GESTERN
yesterday
Time
UNIVERSITÄT [LOK]$_A$
university there
Location
[PRON]1
I
Subject
MANN NETT
man nice
Object
KENNENLERN-
meet
Verb
GESTERN {UNIVERSITÄT [LOK]$_A$} [PRON]1 {MANN NETT} KENNENLERN-
yesterday {university there} I {man nice} meet
Time Location Subject Object Verb
'I met a nice man at the university yesterday.'
This follows the figure-ground-principle, according to which smaller, more mobile referents (figures) tend to occur after larger, less mobile referents (ground).
WALD$_A$
forest
Ground
HAUS
house
Figure
STEH-$_{in-A}$[cl:Haus]
$_{house-shaped-object-}$is-situated-$_{there}$
Verb
WALD$_A$ HAUS STEH-$_{in-A}$[cl:Haus]
forest house $_{house-shaped-object-}$is-situated-$_{there}$
Ground Figure Verb
'There is a house in the forest.'
Sentence adverbs often appear at the beginning of the sentence.
HOFF
hope
Sentence adverb
[PRON]$_3$
s/he
Subject
HUND
dog
Object
KAUF-
buy
Verb
HOFF [PRON]$_3$ HUND KAUF-
hope s/he dog buy
{Sentence adverb} Subject Object Verb
'Hopefully s/he'll buy a dog.'
However, adverbs that modify the verb but which cannot be expressed non-manually follow the verb as an extra clause.
[POSS]$_1$ CHEF
my boss
Subject
TANZ-,
dance
Verb
SCHÖN
beautiful
Adverbial clause
{[POSS]$_1$ CHEF} TANZ-, SCHÖN
{my boss} dance beautiful
Subject Verb {Adverbial clause}
'My boss dances beautifully. / My boss dances and it's beautiful.'
Wh-words (interrogatives) usually occur at the end of the sentence after the verb.
[PRON]$_2$
you
Subject
BESTELL-
order
"full verb"
WÜNSCH-
desire
"auxiliary"
WAS
what
Wh
[PRON]$_2$ BESTELL- WÜNSCH- WAS
you order desire what
Subject {"full verb"} "auxiliary" Wh
'What would you like to order?'
[PRON]$_2$
you
Subject
D-G-S
DGS
object
LERN-
learn
"full verb"
WÜNSCH-
desire
"auxiliary"
WARUM
why
Wh
[PRON]$_2$ D-G-S LERN- WÜNSCH- WARUM
you DGS learn desire why
Subject object {"full verb"} "auxiliary" Wh
'Why do you want to learn DGS?'
[PRON]$_2$
du
Subject
SOZIAL WISSENSCHAFT
social sciences
Object
STUDIER-
study-at-university
"full verb"
ANFANG-
begin
"auxiliary"
WANN
when
Wh
[PRON]$_2$ {SOZIAL WISSENSCHAFT} STUDIER- ANFANG- WANN
du {social sciences} study-at-university begin when
Subject Object {"full verb"} "auxiliary" Wh
'How long have you been studying social sciences at university?'
Some signs with a negative meaning tend to occur at the end of the sentence.
[PRON]$_1$
ich
Subject
[POSS]$_2$ GELIEBTE(R)
your partner
Object
KENNENLERN-
meet
Verb
NOCH-NICHT
not-yet
Negation
[PRON]$_1$ {[POSS]$_2$ GELIEBTE(R)} KENNENLERN- NOCH-NICHT
ich {your partner} meet not-yet
Subject Object Verb Negation
'I haven't met your girlfriend/boyfriend/partner/husband/wife yet.'
[PRON]$_1$
I
Subject
ESS-
eat
"full verb"
WÜNSCH-
desire
"auxiliary"
NICHTS
nothing
negation
[PRON]$_1$ ESS- WÜNSCH- NICHTS
I eat desire nothing
Subject {"full verb"} "auxiliary" negation
'I don't want to eat anything (at all).'
However, if the negation is not emphasised, it can also appear in the expected position.
[PRON]$_1$
I
Subject
NICHTS
nothing
object
ESS-
eat
"full verb"
WÜNSCH-
desire
"auxiliary"
[PRON]$_1$ NICHTS ESS- WÜNSCH-
I nothing eat desire
Subject object {"full verb"} "auxiliary"
'I don't want to eat anything.'
Determiners (articles, demonstratives, quantifiers, relative pronouns) follow the noun.
BUCH
book
Noun
[DEM]$_A$
this
Determiner
BUCH [DEM]$_A$
book this
Noun Determiner
'this book'
Their function is to set the location of referents within the signing space. If this is indicated instead by directional verbs, determiners can always be omitted, provided they are not required for other reasons (such as showing possession, pluralisation, etc.) There is no distinction between definite and indefinite articles.
Attributive adjectives follow immediately after the noun.
BUCH
book
Noun
NEU
new
Adjective
BUCH NEU
book new
Noun Adjective
'a/the new book'
The copula to be does not exist in DGS. Predicative adjectives are generally separated from the noun by a determiner.
BUCH
book
Noun
[DEM]$_A$
this
Determiner
NEU
new
Adjective
BUCH [DEM]$_A$ NEU
book this new
Noun Determiner Adjective
'This book is new.'
Compare the preceding sentence to the following noun phrase, in which the determiner follows the adjective.
BUCH
book
Noun
NEU
new
Adjective
[DEM]$_A$
this
Determiner
BUCH NEU [DEM]$_A$
book new this
Noun Adjective Determiner
'this new book'
Possessive adjectives stand between the possessor and the possession.
MANN$_3$
man
Possessor
[POSS]$_3$
his
Possessive
AUTO
car
Possession
MANN$_3$ [POSS]$_3$ AUTO
man his car
Possessor Possessive Possession
'the man's car'
Here is an example of a longer but nevertheless simple, unmarked sentence.
LETZTE-WOCHE
last-week
Time
[POSS]$_1$ VATER$_3$ [POSS]$_3$ HAUS [LOK]$_A$
my father his house there
Location
[PRON]$_2$
you
Subject
[POSS]$_1$ MUTTER$_4$
my mother
Indirect object
GELD
money
Direct object
$_2$GEB-$_4$
$_{you-}$give$_{-her}$
"full verb"
WÜNSCH-
desire
"auxiliary"
WARUM
why
Wh
LETZTE-WOCHE {[POSS]$_1$ VATER$_3$ [POSS]$_3$ HAUS [LOK]$_A$} [PRON]$_2$ {[POSS]$_1$ MUTTER$_4$} GELD $_2$GEB-$_4$ WÜNSCH- WARUM
last-week {my father his house there} you {my mother} money $_{you-}$give$_{-her}$ desire why
Time Location Subject {Indirect object} {Direct object} {"full verb"} "auxiliary" Wh
'Why did you want to give my mother money at my father's house last week?'

##### Marked sentences

Parts of the sentence which are moved outside of their usual unmarked position are accompanied by non-manual marking.
Sentence elements (with the exception of verbs) can be topicalised by being moved to the beginning of the sentence and marked with raised eyebrows.
eyebrows raised
FRAU [DEM]$_A$
woman that
Topicalised object
[PRON]$_1$
I
Subject
head shake
MÖG-
$_{don't-}$like
Verb
{eyebrows raised} {head shake}
{FRAU [DEM]$_A$} {[PRON]$_1$} MÖG-
{woman that} I $_{don't-}$like
{Topicalised object} Subject Verb
'I don't like that woman. / That woman, I don't like.'
Often, a topic doesn't otherwise have any other role in the sentence. In these cases, it represents a limitation of the scope of the sentence. Compare the following three sentences.
[PRON]$_1$
I
Subject
ITALIEN
Italy
Object
LIEBHAB-
adore
Verb
[PRON]$_1$ ITALIEN LIEBHAB-
I Italy adore
Subject Object Verb
'I love Italy.'
eyebrows raised
LAND
country
Topic
[PRON]$_1$
I
Subject
ITALIEN
Italy
Object
LIEBHAB-
adore
Verb
{eyebrows raised}
LAND [PRON]$_1$ ITALIEN LIEBHAB-
country I Italy adore
Topic Subject Object Verb
'My favourite country is Italy.'
eyebrows raised
ESSEN
food
Topic
[PRON]$_1$
I
Subject
ITALIEN
Italy
Object
LIEBHAB-
adore
Verb
{eyebrows raised}
ESSEN [PRON]$_1$ ITALIEN LIEBHAB-
food I Italy adore
Topic Subject Object Verb
'My favourite food is Italian.'