1st L (F–10) F-2
Understanding

Systems of Language  - Elaboration 3

- categorising noun signs into those for people, animals, places or things

- understanding that proper nouns can have a sign name or be fingerspelled

- knowing that adjectives describe nouns in different ways, such as how they look (BIG or RED), feel (SOFT or HOT), smell (SMELLY) or sound (LOUD)

- identifying verb signs (SIT, EAT, FEEL, WONDER, HAVE) and recognising that they are central to a clause

- recognising that there is no verb ‘to be’ in Auslan

- understanding that a clause is one or more signs expressing a single idea and that a clause has at least one verb, but often one or more nouns as well, for example,

CALL-him
I called him.
MAN THERE GO-TO POSS3 HOUSE
That man went to his house.
BIG MONSTER SCREAM
A big monster screamed.
(* Auslan video example on this is in the ACARA website)

- recognising different nouns in clauses, including those that are shown with a pointing sign, such as GIRL READ versus PRO3 READ, or VISIT FRIEND versus VISIT PRO3

- noticing that Auslan has more flexibility in word order than English

- distinguishing between clauses that are statements and those that are questions

- knowing that signing involves either telling with signs or showing with DSs and periods of constructed action (CA)

MAN WALK SLOW
DS(point):man-walks-slowly
CA:man-swinging-arms-nonchalantly
(* Auslan video example on this is in the ACARA website)