Degree of Intensity: The use of mouthing and its face components in ASL
Mouth behaviors in sign languages have been divided into two categories: mouthing and
mouth gestures. Boyes-Braem and Sutton-Spence (2001) define mouthing as being
derived from spoken languages whose mouthing is produced simultaneously with manual
signs. Mouth gestures are defined as obligatory mouth patterns that function as separate
morphemes and are not derived from spoken language.
Liddell (1980) proposes that mouth gestures act as adverbs in combination with manual
verbs in ASL. Liddell and Johnson (1989) state that some non-manual signals have
specific syntactic or morphological functions independent from their manual
counterparts.. This research reveals the need for the following: a full-face analysis to
identify the type of adverb (e.g., adverb of degree); and the need to identify the specific
degree used to show whether the adverb is of low or high intensity.
In my research, I employed observer-based measurement of facial components using the
Facial Action Coding System (FACS) (Ekman, Friesen, and Hager, 2002). Using FACS
and viewing video-recorded facial behavior at both frame rate and in slow motion, coders
can manually code nearly all possible facial components including mouth actions, which
are decomposed into action units (AUs). An action unit, with some qualifications, is the
smallest visually distinguishable facial movements that can also measure the degree of
intensity. They propose that one has to compare both face actions before and after to help
determining the degree of intensity.
Among the ASL video clips for this study are two video clips with a description of
bacteria. In both clips, the narrator mouths and signs the adjective, ‘GOOD,” twice. In the
first clip, the narrator discusses two types of bacteria, bad and good bacteria in the human
body. In translation, she describes, “Definitely, those bacteria are good.” In this instance,
the narrator uses these AUs to intensify both her face and neck components as an adverb
to modify the adverbial sentence.” Her mouthing remains unchanged. See Figure 1.
In the second clip, the narrator again discusses the benefits of good bacteria. In closing
the description, she exclaims, “Unquestionably, there are extremely good bacteria.”
Unlike the first clip, she uses two different adverbs, “unquestionably” and “extremely.”
As Figure 2 shows that she intensifies her upper part of face components more than she
did for the first clip. The function of the adverb (“unquestionably”) is to display that there
is “without any question” good benefits to these good bacteria. To produce the adverb,
“extremely,” she uses and intensifies her mouthing, which she did not do in the first clip.
Unlike adverbs in spoken English, more than one non-manual adverb in ASL can occur
simultaneously with the signed and mouthed words they modify as well as with one
another. This finding shows that mouthing does have specific syntactic/ morphological
functions as adverbs of degree.
In conclusion, the FACS methodology when applied to full-face analysis is a highly
useful tool to help determine the degree of low-high intensity, which in turn helps in
identifying the types of adverbs. Figure 1: One adverb: DEFINITELY
In translation: “Definitely, those bacteria are good”
Upper part of face components: She thrusts her neck and her chin out. She also lowers her eyebrows that
push her lower eyelid down causing her eye aperture to become narrow to act as an adverb, “definitely.”
Figure 2: Two Adverbs: UNQUESTIONABLY and EXTREMELY GOOD
In translation: “Unquestionably, there are extremely good bacteria.”
Upper part of face components: she displays her brow raise; raises lids so they show more of the eyeballs;
lifts head up while her eyes directs down that acts as an adverb, “unquestionably”
Lower part of face components: she parts lip that expose her teeth and oral cavity exposure that acts as an
adverb, “extremely” –this demonstrated how she modifies her mouthing
References
Eckman, Paul, Wallace V. Friesen & Joseph Hager, 002. Facial Action Coding System
(FACS) Second edition. Salt Lake City: Research Nexus eBook. London: Weidenfeld &
Nicolson (world)
Liddell, S. 1980 American Sign Language Syntax. The Hague: Mouton.
Liddell, S. and R. Johnson. 1989. American Sign Language: The phonological base. Sign Language Studies
64: 195-227
Stratiy, Angela and M Taylor. 1998. Bacteria (video clip), Pursuit of ASL: Interesting facts using
classifiers. Edmonton AB: Interpreting Consolidated.