Semantics: SUDDENLY

[Jean Bout]

Actually,  the connotation of "unexpected" includes two
separate aspects: one is  "unexpected + tragedy"
(see Example #1 below); the other is "unexpectecd
+ surprise" (see Example #2).

Example #1: UNEXPECTED + TRAGEDY

       "Friends threw a surprise birthday party for Jane
        Doe (70 of age), WRONG she collapsed."
        NEGATIVE in the clause.

The smile on the signer's face sharply shifts to the
shock / sorrow when he uses the clause: "WRONG she
collapsed." The signer's cheeks would sink and upper teeth
would touch the lower lip.

Example #2: UNEXPECTED + SURPRISE

       '(I bought a ticket/raffle for $2,) WRONG I WON.'

The signer shows no emotion, but, when he reaches a clause
"WRONG I WON," the smile would show on his face

Jean

_________

On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 09:23:03 -0800 Tom L Humphries <thumphries at UCSD.EDU>
writes:
> The glosses SUDDENLY and WRONG are unfortunately imprecise for this
> interesting connector.  In the example
>
> '(I bought a ticket/raffle for $2,) WRONG I WON.'
>
> the clause following the connector is not negative.
>
> On Thursday, January 29, 2004, at 12:41 PM, Alysse Rasmussen wrote:
>
> > A friend asked me about the ASL sign frequently glossed as
> SUDDENLY (a
> > variation of the sign WRONG) .... I know the connotation includes
>
> > "unexpected" but does it also include a "negative" aspect ... as
> in
> > "something unexpected AND bad" occurred?
> >
> > Alysse
> >
> Tom Humphries
> Associate Director
> Teacher Education
> &
> Department of Communication
> University of California, San Diego
>