Semantics: SUDDENLY

[Albert Bickford]

Data like this, and other comments that have been made, suggest that the
meaning 'negative' is not inherent in the conjunction SUDDENLY/WRONG, but
rather comes from the context or from the nonmanuals that it combines with.
If the conjunction is compatible with either a negative or positive
situation, then it itself must be neutral.

--Albert

Albert Bickford

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jean Bout" <sealover2 at JUNO.COM>
To: <SLLING-L at ADMIN.HUMBERC.ON.CA>
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2004 8:10 PM
Subject: Re: Semantics: SUDDENLY


> 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
> >