A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS)

Subordinating conjunctions may be employed to link the main clause to the embedded clause in a complex sentence. LIS has manual elements that are used as subordinators, but frequently realises subordination by means of non-manual markers and prosodic structure only.

            Not all embedded clauses are introduced by subordinating conjunctions. Complement clauses (SYNTAX 3.3.2) are simply juxtaposed to the main clause, as illustrated below.

 

 

 

                          bl-left

            gianni hope maria leave

            ‘Gianni hopes Maria will leave.’

 

Some adverbial clauses in LIS are introduced by manual markers. Below we report some examples.

            Temporal clauses (SYNTAX 3.5.2) are introduced by the manual marker when.

 

 

 

                                                            cd

                                                           re

            when ix₁ padua arrive ix_{1 1}text₂

            ‘When I arrive in Padua, I will send you a message.’

 

Conditional clauses (SYNTAX 3.5.1) are introduced by the manual marker if.

 

 

 

                        cd

                       re

            if rain ix₁ go_out not

            ‘When I arrive in Padua, I will send you a message.’

 

Manner clauses (SYNTAX 3.5.4) are introduced by the manual marker identical.

 

 

 

 

            ix₂ house build identical time past

            ‘You built the house as they used to do in the past.’

 

Concessive clauses (SYNTAX 3.5.7) are introduced by the manual marker same.

 

 

 

 

                              sq

                              re

            man blind same pasta cook be_able

            ‘Although the man is blind, he can cook pasta.’

 

Reason clauses (SYNTAX 3.5.5) are introduced by the manual marker reason:

 

 

 

            tram arrive late reason snow++ CL(spread 5): ‘snow_accumulate’

            ‘The tram arrived late because it continued to snow, and the snow accumulated.’

 

Purpose clauses (SYNTAX 3.5.6) are introduced by the manual marker goal.

 

 

 

            maria store go goal food buy++

            ‘Maria goes to the store in order to buy food.’

 

 

However, some adverbial subordinate clauses in LIS may also be marked by non-manual markers only. This is the case of conditional clauses (a) temporal clauses (b) and concessive clauses (c).

 

 

 

                                                      re

            a.         tomorrow rain theatre cancel

            ‘If it rains tomorrow, the performance will be cancelled.’

 

 

 

                                           cd

                                           re

            b.         ix_{2 2}text₁ ix₁ drive

            ‘When you sent me the text message, I was driving.’

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                          re

            c.         ix_a gabriele ix_a month march ix_3a engaged wedding_b poss_{1 a}come_b

            ‘Although Gabriele is busy in March, he will come to my wedding.’

 

For more information on clausal subordination, the reader is referred to subordination (SYNTAX 3).