A Grammar of Turkish Sign Language (TİD)

TİD distinguishes between inclusive and exclusive 1st person plural pronouns: ‘we’ and ‘two of us’. Usually, this distinction is based on whether the addressee is included or not. In some contexts, someone other than the addressee but salient for the discourse may also be interpreted as included or excluded.

 

The examples given in 3.7.2.2 are in fact examples of inclusive 1st person plural pronouns. Inclusive usage is considered to be the unmarked usage. As can be seen in the visual examples, the signs are articulated in the central signing space. The articulation of (inclusive) ‘we’ starts near the chest of the signer, representing the 1st person, and continues in the shape of an arc, getting away from the signer but closer to the addressee. Likewise, in the articulation of the (inclusive) ‘two of us’, the dominant hand moves between the chest of the signer and the location of the addressee.

 

When the exclusive plural personal pronouns are signed, however, they are articulated slightly on the (ipsilateral) side of the signer, outside of the central signing space, excluding the area representing the addressee.

 

Examples of both types are given below for comparison:

 

 

 

ix_1pl-incl                                                              

‘We, including you’    

 

 

ix_1pl-excl

‘We, excluding you’

 

 

 

ix_1+2pl-incl                                                      

‘Two of us, including you’       

 

 

 

 ix_1+2pl-excl

‘Two of us, excluding you’