A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS)

2.6.2.1. Possible subject-object asymmetry in pronoun copying

In LIS, a copying pronoun mostly refers to the subject of the clause. However, data show that pronoun copying can also be linked to objects, in a restricted set of cases. This happens when objects are fronted, as in (a), but the copying pronoun can also occasionally refer to an object which follows the subject, as in (b).

 

 

 

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          a.            chocolatea gianni hate ix3a

         ‘As for the chocolate, Gianni hates it.’

 

 

 

         b.            ix1 chocolatea hate ix3a

         ‘I hate chocolate.’

 

Examples like these allow us to assume that the pronoun copying phenomenon is not specifically linked to the syntactic roles of arguments in a sentence, but rather to their pragmatic roles, such as topic and focus (PRAGMATIC 4) (SYNTAX 2.6.4).


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Chiara Branchini & Lara Mantovan

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© 2020 Chiara Branchini, Chiara Calderone, Carlo Cecchetto, Alessandra Checchetto, Elena Fornasiero, Lara Mantovan & Mirko Santoro

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)

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