A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS)

Predicate classifiers are morphologically complex constructions resulting from the combination of a classifier handshape with a movement reproducing the path-movement, the handling or position of the entity. Specifically, the handshape that identifies the entity by denoting salient characteristics constitutes the lexical root, whereas the movement feature associated to the classifier to convey the location, movement or handling of the entity constitutes the verbal root. Movement can be towards several directions of the signing space and following different paths, thus reflecting the movement of the entity in the real word. In LIS, we identify four kinds of root: i) action/movement root (the movement of the handshape corresponds to the movement of the referent), ii) manner root (the movement associated to the classifier describes how the entity moves), iii) contact root (the movement defines the position and the spatial relation of the entity with respect to other referents), and iv) stative/descriptive root (the movement of the hand(s) is necessary to convey the shape and place of the referent).

         The nature of the predicate depends on the classifier selected: entity classifiers realise unaccusative predicates; bodypart classifiers form unergative predicates; handle classifiers results in transitive constructions (SYNTAX 2.1.1.5).

         The following sections provide the inventory of the handshapes belonging to the different categories of classifiers attested in LIS. It is important to notice that all the handshapes belong to the phonological inventory of LIS (PHONOLOGY 1.1). Moreover, handshapes can modify the quantity of selected fingers, be reduplicated or be articulated as two-handed signs in order to encode plurality and size of referents.