A "WH"-question is a question that tends to use signs such as: WHO, WHAT, WHEN,
WHERE, WHY, and WHICH.
Signers typically furrow their eyebrows at the same time as they do the WH-type
sign in WH-type questions.
"WH"-questions also include questions such as those involving the concept of
"how" and/or questions that convey the meaning of a "WH"-question by raising the
eyebrows while doing some other sign such as "TIME." For example, if you
sign TIME while furrowing your eyebrows -- you create the meaning of "What time
is it?"
Here is a list of WH-questions:
01. HOW?-[version-1-single-movement]
02. HOW?-[version-2-double-movement]
03. HOW are-YOU?-[concern]
04. how-MANY?
05. how-MUCH?-[1-hand-version]
06. HOW-MUCH?-[2-hands-volume-version]
07. HOW-OFTEN?
08. how-OLD?
09. WHAT?
10. what-DO?
11. what-FOR?
12. what-KIND?
13. what-NAME?
14. what-REASON?
15. WHAT'S-UP?-[concern]
16. what-TIME?
17. WHEN?
18. WHERE?
19. WHICH?
20. WHO?
21. WHY?
Plus it is common for some of the above questions to have multiple forms or versions. For example, the concept of "What?!?" (ranging from excited to disbelieving) -- can be signed via lexicalized fingerspelling while doing a corresponding facial expression.
Note: The following are
not WH-type questions:
HOW are-YOU?-[greeting] is not a WH-type question. It uses raised
eyebrows.
WHAT'S-UP?-[greeting] is not a WH-type question. It uses raised eyebrows.
Rhetorical versions of the above questions. See: "Rhetorical questions in ASL"
For more information see:
►
WH-question facial
expression
►
WH-question Placement in ASL
►
WH-rightward movement unnecessary in very short questions