A Grammar of German Sign Language (DGS)

A reciprocal relation involves two or more referents and the individuals referred to are basically both agents and undergoers of the action. Reciprocity can be marked on verbs depending on the verb type and the phonological form of the verb. In DGS, it is possible to mark reciprocity with plain verbs [Lexicon 3.2.1] and agreement verbs [Lexicon 3.2.2].

 

The movement and orientation of agreement verbs can be modified to allow for a reciprocal interpretation, but the modification depends on whether the verb is a one-handed or two-handed sign [Phonology 1.4]. In a two-handed agreement verb like help, which shows agreement by modification of path movement, the path movement of the verb can be reversed. This means, that the verb moves in an uninterrupted manner from a subject to an object locus and then back to the subject locus as exemplified in below and thereby expressing reciprocity.

 

            ix_{1+3apl 1}help_{3a 3a}help₁                       

            ‘We are helping each other.’

                                                                                   (based on Pfau & Steinbach, 2003b: 13)

 

 

 

 

A two-handed agreement verb as influence, which realizes agreement by a change of hand orientation, reverses the orientation of the hand and fingertips instead of path movement to mark reciprocity.

 

With one-handed agreement verbs, the reversed movement is realized simultaneously by the non-dominant hand. In the following example, which has the meaning ‘we are giving flowers to each other’, the dominant hand moves from the subject to the object locus while the non-dominant hand simultaneously performs the reversed movement from object to subject locus. The non-dominant hand copies the handshape features from the dominant hand.

 

            dominant hand:                      ix_1+3pl flower ++ cl(3):₁give_3a                               

            non-dominant hand:                                             cl(3):_3agive₁

                                                                              ‘We are giving flowers to each other.’

                                                                                   (based on Pfau & Steinbach, 2003b: 17)

 

 

 

 

Reciprocity marked on plain verbs can be realized in two different ways. In the first option, reciprocity is realized by zero marking like in the DGS example given below. There, the verb remains in its citation form and no reversed movement is added.

 

            ix_1+3pl like

            ‘We like each other.’

         

                                                                                   (based on Pfau & Steinbach, 2003b: 21)

 

 

 

The second option is the use of an agreement marker called pam (Person Agreement Marker) [Lexicon 3.3.4], which follows the verb. pam expresses the reciprocal form by means of a reversed path movement and hand orientation, i.e. the movement starts at the subject locus and ends at the object locus. At the object locus, the hand turns 180 degrees, so that the fingers are orientated towards the signer and then moves again towards the subject locus as illustrated below.

 

            ix_1+3pl like ₁pam_{3 3}pam₁                                

            ‘We like each other.’

                                                                       (based on Pfau & Steinbach, 2003b: 21)