A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS)

In LIS, each type of adverbs may be associated to one unmarked position.

         As previously showed (SYNTAX 2.3.1.2), the unmarked position of temporal adverbs in LIS is at the beginning of the sentence, as illustrated in the following example.

 

 

 

         today davide come

         ‘Today Davide is coming.’ (based on Lerose, 2012: 336)

        

Adverbs of place usually follow the verb.

 

 

 

         davide eat outside

         ‘Davide eats out.’ (based on Lerose, 2012: 333)

 

As for frequency adverbs, they usually follow the verb too, as in the example:

 

 

 

         ix₁ venice go often

         ‘I often go to Venice.’

 

The order between adverbs of place and frequency adverbs does not seem to be fixed, as shown in the following examples.

 

 

 

         a.            davide eat numerous outside

         ‘Davide often eats out.’

 

 

 

         b.            davide eat outside numerous

         ‘Davide often eats out.’

 

In place of frequency adverbial signs, as in the case of the adverbial always, adverbial information can be alternatively expressed through the repetition of the sign for the verb:

 

 

 

         evening davide go_out++

         ‘In the evening, Davide always goes out.’

 

Sentential adverbs can occupy different positions in the sentence without changing the meaning of the sentence itself, as can be seen in the following examples.

 

 

 

         a.            surely gianni come

         ‘Gianni is coming surely.’ (based on Lerose, 2012: 344)

 

 

 

         b.            gianni come surely

         ‘Gianni is coming surely.’

 

 

 

         c.            gianni surely come

         ‘Gianni is coming surely.’

 

In LIS, adverbs of manner can be produced as autonomous signs following the verb, as in (a) below, or through non-manual markers produced simultaneously to the verbal sign, as in (b).

 

 

 

         a.            sara read quickly

         ‘Sara reads quickly.’ (based on Lerose, 2012: 327)                 

 

 

 

                                                               blow

         b.            sara book read_[quickly]

         ‘Sara reads quickly a book.’ (based on Lerose, 2012: 328)

 

Frequency adverbs precede adverbs of manner, as can be seen in the following example.

 

         anna behave always kindly

         ‘Anna always behaves kindly.’

 

Specific non-manual markers may be added if there is a change in the order of frequency and manner adverbs, indicating that it is a marked order.

 

                                                 re

         anna behave kindly always

         ‘Anna behaves kindly always.’

 

Quantitative adverbs indicate an indefinite quantity that refers to the action performed by the verb. They are preferably expressed through non-manual markers and through the alteration of the movement of the verbal sign (a), even if manual adverbial signs conveying the same meaning are available and may be used as an alternative strategy (b).

 

 

 

         a.            davide study++

         ‘Davide studies a lot.’ (based on Lerose, 2012: 341)

 

 

 

         b.            davide study very

         ‘Davide studies a lot.’

 

As for adjuncts, their position in the sentence is flexible. They can be produced at the end of the clause, as shown in (a), at the beginning of the clause, as in (b), or between the subject and the object, as in (c) for the locative adjunct office inside.

 

 

 

         a.            mario contract put_signature office inside

         ‘Mario signs the contract in the office.’

 

 

 

         b.            office inside mario contract put_signature

         ‘In the office Mario signs the contract.’

 

 

 

         c.            mario office inside contract put_signature

         ‘Mario in the office signs the contract.’