ASK vs. ASK-TO

[Don E. Newkirk]

The distinction described is true except for one case that I know of.  It is
grammatical to sign the phrase "ASK QUESTION", while it is _not_
grammatical to sign "ASK-TO QUESTION" to utter what in English
would be "ask a question".

[QUESTION in ASL is much like the manual gesture that Victor Borge
would make in his verbal punctuation routine--outline a question mark
with the index finger, then set the point with a jab of the index.]

Hope this doesn't confuse the issue too much.

Don Newkirk
(I played one on the radio once....)

----- Original Message -----
From: "David N. Ascheman-Evans" <devans at INAME.COM>
To: <SLLING-L at ADMIN.HUMBERC.ON.CA>
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2001 5:21 PM
Subject: Re: ASK vs. ASK-TO


I'll respond to this from a more native-like perspective though I'm not a
linguist (nor do I play one on TV).

The ASK-TO sign is used for inquiry purposes. When it appears at the
beginning of an utterance, it serves to let the listener know a
question< are employed<
The two-handed ASK/PRAY sign (which I generally gloss as REQUEST or ASK-OF)
is used as a request or to seek permission.


Ex: The boy asked his mother whether she was going to work tomorrow night.

BOY PRO.3_rt ASK-TO_lt MOTHER,  TOMORROW^NIGHT PRO.2 lt_GO-TO WORK
                                shift rt, gaze lt-----------------

Ex: The boy told his friend to see about borrowing his mother's car tomorrow
night.
                                      _________________________________q_
BOY PRO.3_cnt,  HEY ASK-OF_lt MOTHER, TOMORROW NIGHT CAN lt_BORROW_rt CAR
                shift cnt, gaze rt--  shift rt, gaze lt------------------

Hope this is helpful.
David N. Ascheman-Evans


>> Is there any difference between ASK and ASK-TO, other than the
inflectional
>> aspect of ASK-TO, which ASK doesn't have?
>
> For the benefit of the non-ASL signers on the list: ASK-TO begins with a
> closed fist in the asker's space, palm toward the askee, index finger
> extended upward. This is moved toward the askee while bending the top two
> joints of the index finger, representing a (lenited) question mark going
> from the asker to the askee.
>
> I have no native instincts on this -- what with not being a native and all
> -- but I was always under the impression that ASL/PRAY kept a core meaning
> of supplication, asking for a boon, etc. ASK-TO seems to have more of a
> meaning of eliciting information, even if the information requested is
> whether or not permission would be granted.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Dan.
>
> ____________
> ,,,
> . .   D A N  P A R V A Z  --  Geek-in-Residence
> U    University of New Mexico Linguistics Dept
> -    dparvaz@{unm.edu,lanl.gov}   505.480.9638
>