9 The order of (multiple) elements within the ESL noun phrase
In the preceding chapters we have seen that one major aspect of order within the noun phrase is whether modifiers generally precede or follow the head noun. In spoken languages, as Givon (1990:467) points out, “ordering constraints may also govern the placement of modifiers vis-a-vis each other.” To illustrate this, he (Givon 1990:467) offers a general rule for the order of modifiers in English which could be presented as follows:
| (113) | NP= quantifier, determiner, the adjective phrase, NOUN (English) |
We have also noted (in 4.3.1) that Greenberg (1990 [1966]) formulated several universals with regard to the placement of modifiers within the noun phrase (recall Universals 18, 19, 20).
As far as sign languages are concerned, Kyle and Woll (1985:171) write that “[l]ess is known of sign language grammar universals than of lexical similarities.” These grammar universals which have been found across (well-)studied sign languages concern the features of verbs, e.g. aspect and modality marking (see Kyle & Woll 1985:170).
It is important to note that, according to the present data, the noun phrase in ESL comprises most typically only one modifier or dependent. If the head noun has more than one modifier, these are most likely to be genitive/pronominal or/and genitive/lexical plus adjective, the combination of which tends to present the following patterns:
| (114) | Adjective | Genitive/pronominal | Noun (see example 89) |
| (115) | Genitive/pronominal | Noun | Adjective (examples 90, 91) |
The above patterns show that the governing noun and its dependent genitive form a nexus which cannot be interrupted by the adjective.
This is the only claim that we can make about the order of elements in relation to each other within the ESL noun phrase at the present stage of study on Estonian Sign Language.