A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS)

Temporal simultaneity between the subordinate clause and the main clause is expressed either i) by juxtaposing the two clauses, or ii) through the optional use of a manual marker. When the two clauses are juxtaposed, the subordinate clause is marked with non-manual markers: raised eyebrows (re), chin down (cd), a signing pause, and, optionally, eye blinking between the two clauses.

 

 

 

                            cd

                         re

         ix_{2 2}text₁ ix₁ drive

         ‘When you sent me the text message, I was driving.’

 

Sometimes, beside the non-manuals marking the subordinate clause described above, a manual marker, glossed moment in the following example, may be produced.

 

 

 

                     cd

                   re

         ₂text₁ moment ix₁ shower

         ‘When you sent me the text message, I was taking a shower.’

 

Anteriority of the event in the subordinate clause may be expressed by the same non-manual markers used to mark simultaneity, and no manual markers.

 

 

 

                                        cd

                                       re

         l-u-c-a go_away a-n-n-a cry

         ‘After Luca left, Anna cried.’

 

Alternatively, anteriority may be expressed through the employment of the manual marker glossed after and the same non-manual markers used to mark simultaneity spreading over the subordinate clause.

 

 

 

                                          cd

                                        re

         teacher go_away after child++ confusion

         ‘After the teacher left, the children moved around chaotically.’

 

Another option is to produce the manual sign done (LEXICON 3.3.1) after the subordinate clause predicate, and the non-manual markers spreading over the subordinate clause.

 

 

 

                                                  cd

                                                re

         luca vase break done ix₁ arrive                

         ‘I arrived after Luca broke the vase.’

 

Posteriority of the event in the subordinate clause may be expressed through the use of a manual marker occurring in the main clause, as the sign glossed before in the example below, together with the same non-manual markers used in simultaneity and anteriority spreading over the subordinate clause.

 

 

 

                     cd

                    re

         alarm thief ix before go_away

         ‘The thief left before the alarm went on.’

 

Another way to express posteriority is through the use of the manual sign done (LEXICON 3.3.1) produced after the main clause predicate together with the same non-manuals marking simultaneity and anteriority spreading over the subordinate clause.

 

 

 

                            cd

                          re

         ix₁ arrive luca_a ix_a vase break done

         ‘Luca broke the vase before I arrived.’