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List constructions in two signed languages.
- Source :
- Language & Cognition (Cambridge University Press); Mar2024, Vol. 16 Issue 1, p57-92, 36p
- Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- This paper examines how signers make lists. One way is to use the fingers on the signer's nondominant hand to enumerate items on a list. The signer points to these list-fingers with the dominant hand. Previous analyses considered lists to be nondominant, one-handed signs, and thus were called list buoys because the nondominant hand often remains in place during the production of the list. The pointing hand was largely ignored as a nonlinguistic gesture. We take a constructional approach based on Cognitive Grammar. In our approach, we analyze lists as a type of pointing construction consisting of two meaningful components: a pointing device (the pointing hand) used to direct attention; and a Place, also consisting of form and a meaning. Using data from Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) and Finland–Swedish Sign Language (FinSSL), we examine the semantic role of each component, showing how the nondominant list-fingers identify and track discourse referents, and how the pointing hand is used to create higher-order entities by grouping list-fingers. We also examine the integration of list constructions and their components with other conventional constructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- COGNITIVE grammar
SIGN language
LANGUAGE & languages
GESTURE
FINGERS
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 18669808
- Volume :
- 16
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Language & Cognition (Cambridge University Press)
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 176128442
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1017/langcog.2023.19