A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS)

In this section, we observe the distribution of definite and indefinite articles in LIS. Note that both of them are optionally produced in their contexts of use (LEXICON 3.6.1) (LEXICON 3.6.2).

         When used, definite articles usually appear in postnominal position. In the example below, the article ix(def) follows the noun young.

 

 

 

         young_a ix(def)_a run quick

         ‘The boy is running quickly.’

 

Note that noun and article are produced in the same area of the signing space, and hence show spatial agreement.

         When another nominal modifier accompanies the head noun, such as an adjective (old in the example below), the definite article appears after it, at the end of the noun phrase.

 

 

 

         furniture_a old ix(def)_a change need

         ‘The old furniture must be replaced.’ (adapted from Bertone, 2007: 60)

 

A less common option is the reduplication of the article, for instance ix_a man ix_a. In this construction, two co-indexed pointing signs are produced, one before and the other after the noun. These two elements can be functional equivalent, and hence produce a genuine case of reduplication, or they can carry out two different functions, and hence instantiate a case of demonstrative reinforcer construction (for more details on this construction see SYNTAX 4.1.2.2).

         Indefinite articles in LIS usually occur before the noun. In the example below, the article one(indef) precedes the noun deaf.

 

 

 

         one(indef) deaf ix₁ meet

         ‘I met a deaf guy.’

 

As for the postnominal position, judgments are not uniform. According to some signers, when the sign one appears after the noun, it functions as a cardinal numeral.

 

 

 

         book one ₂CL(flat open 5): ‘give_book’₁

         ‘Give me one book.’ (recreated from Bertone, 2007: 146)

 

According to other signers, when the sign one is found in postnominal position and it is associated with tremoring motion, it functions as an indefinite determiner.

 

         book one(indef)_{[tremoring] 2}give₁

         ‘Give me a book.’ (Bertone, 2007: 146)

 

This particular articulation can also be used to express a free choice reading (‘any book’).