Syntax is the term for the way that words or signs are put together to create meaningful sentences and phrases. Although there are conventions in written English to mark the beginnings and ends of sentences, there is no formal agreement on what a sentence is. It is very difficult to define a sentence, but most people have a rough feeling that they know a sentence when they see or hear one.
Although words have their own meanings, the order of words or signs in a language is just as important in relation to meaning. If words and signs are not combined according to the syntactic rules of the language, the meaning is either lost, changed, or becomes unclear.
Before we can address the syntax of BSL sentences in much depth, we need to consider the idea of ‘proforms’, and how and why BSL uses them. Understanding and using proforms in BSL is essential for the understanding of the syntax of BSL.
A proform is anything that refers to, and stands in the place of, something previously identified. The identification may have been made using a sign for the referent, or the referent may be present for all to see. For example, the sign CAR has a related proform (a ‘B’ hand (see Conventions for an explanation of this and other symbols)) that is used to provide more information about the location of the car and the action it is involved in.
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