A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS)

Plural personal pronouns can encode clusivity distinction, thus signalling the inclusion or the exclusion of the addressee or any other referent salient in the discourse. Inclusive and exclusive forms differ mainly in terms of location and non-manuals.

            Inclusive pronouns are typically characterized by unmarked location and neutral shoulder position. The movement produced in these signs is at some point directed toward the locus associated with the included referent. A couple of examples of inclusive pronouns are shown below.

            a.         ix_1pl-incl

            ‘We all’ (the addressee is included)

            b.         ix_1+2-incl

            ‘We two’ (the addressee is included)

Exclusive pronouns highlight the non-involvement of the addressee or a salient referent. They are typically articulated in a marked location, such as on the left/right side of the signing space, which crucially is far from the locus associated with the excluded referent. The shoulders are directed toward the opposite direction of this marked location.

            a.         ix_{1pl-excl[left]}

            ‘We all’ (the addressee is not included)

            b.         ix_{1+2-excl[right]}

            ‘We two’ (the addressee is not included)