A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS)

1.4.2. Partial exclamatives

In many spoken languages, partial exclamatives exhibit a wh-element occupying the same position it occupies in wh-interrogative sentences.

In LIS, a manual wh-morpheme has not been identified, as the different wh-signs do not share a common value for any formational parameter. What identifies wh-signs as a natural class is their grammatical function, their distribution in the clause and a specific non-manual marker, that is, furrowed eyebrows. Partial exclamative sentences in LIS are produced with furrowed eyebrows, as shown in the examples below.

mess emphatic_gesture

‘What a mess!’

For further details on wh-questions see SYNTAX 1.2.3.

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)