A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS)

1.3.6. Negation in imperatives

When a negative order is expressed in LIS, there are some interesting differences with respect to positive imperatives. Both declarative and imperative clauses employ a manual sign for negation displaying the same handshape but differing in its movement realization. In negated declaratives, the manual sign (glossed not) produced with an extended index finger displays a short right-to-left repeated movement, as in (a), while in negative imperatives the manual sign (glossed no) is produced with a single tensed and wide movement, as in (b).

fe hs

a. ix₃ eat not

‘He doesn’t eat.’

fe hs

b. eat no

‘Don’t eat!’

PDF (italian version)

List of editors

Chiara Branchini & Lara Mantovan

Bibliographical reference for citation

The entire grammar:
Branchini, Chiara and Lara Mantovan (eds.). 2020. A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS). 1st ed. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series). (http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)

A Chapter:
Smith, Mary. 2020. Syntax: 3. Coordination and Subordination. In Branchini, Chiara and Lara Mantovan (eds.), A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS). 1st ed. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series), 230-237. ((http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)

A Section:
Smith, Mary. 2020. Phonology: 1.1.1.2. Finger configuration. In Mary, Smith, Ben Smith and Carlo Smith (eds.), A Grammar of Catalan Sign Language (LSC). 1st ed. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series), 230-237. (http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)

Smith, Mary. 2020. Syntax: 3.1.2.1.3. Manual markers in disjunctive coordination. In Mary, Smith, Ben Smith and Carlo Smith (eds.), A Grammar of Catalan Sign Language (LSC). 1st edn. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series), 230-237. (http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)