A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS)

As mentioned before, back-channel cues serve to signal the addressee’s attitude toward the communicative exchange. The addressee’s response can be of various types: for example, the interlocutor can express an affirmative (a-b) or refusing (c) attitude toward the conversation content.

         a.            pe

         b.            yes

         c.            hold_on

Other functions of back-channelling signals concern the possibility for the addressee to comment on a statement, clarify an information, complete an utterance, and so forth. Back-channelling is also used for showing a phatic behaviour with respect to the interaction, displaying interest in the communicative exchange.

         Back-channelling involves both manual and non-manuals strategies. The example below shows a short stretch of communicative exchange in which Signer A shows interest and confirms the content of Signer B’s comment.

         A:                                                               yes               yes                                           know++                                                                                                             well     understand++

         B:           know ix₁ teach building++ various. ix_{1 1}go++ ix₁ teach done run ₁go++ ix₁ exist.not be_fed_up ix₁ exist.not anymore ix₁ pe not ix₁ must ₁ask₃ t-r-i-b-e-l-l-i₃ ix₁ change

         ‘You know, I teach in several buildings...’ ‘Yes’ ‘...I keep running around.’ ‘Yes’ ‘When I finish teaching in a place I have to run to another one. No way!’ ‘I know, I know’ ‘I’m fed up, no way! I have to ask Tribelli...’ ‘Right.’ ‘...for a change.’ ‘I see, I see.’