Word Orders in Croatian Sign Language

The aim of this research was to determine the basic word order, & factors which influence alternative word orders in Croatian Sign Language (HZJ). Also, the interaction of the word order & grammatical usage of nonmanual marking were investigated. The data analyses indicate that the basic word order in HZJ is the same one as in spoken Croatian -- SVO. HZJ word order can be influenced by the nature of arguments, by verb type, & spatial relationship of the arguments, as well as contrastive focus. Also, it depends on the information status, just like in other sign languages. Nonmanual markings have pragmatic roles, & could also have syntatic function. This research it was found that HZJ has grammatical rules of its own according to which the words are arranged into sentences. These rules differ from those used in spoken Croatian. Results of this investigation may contribute to sign language teaching practice, as well as to creating prerequisites for bilingual education for deaf children in Croatia. Tables, Figures, References. Adapted from the source document