3.4.1. Deontic modality
Deontic markers (LEXICON 3.3.3.1) in LIS can be marked by furrowed eyebrows (fe) and/or head nod (hn). Sometimes, the manual deontic marker can be dropped, and the non-manual markers spread on the verbal sign. In the example below, permission is encoded through head nod produced over the verb, in the absence of a manual deontic marker.
Context: you are driving, at the signal STOP you must stop the car. What do you do next?
cond hn
look_right look_left bare CL(unspread 5): ‘car_move’
‘You look to the right and to the left. If the road is empty, you are allowed to move ahead.’
Often, morphological modifications concern the deontic marker itself. In the example below, the modal must displays a slower and repeated articulation in order to emphasise the obligation being conveyed.
no today must++
‘No, you have to do it today!’
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