A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS)

The possibility to encode social distinctions in LIS pronouns seems to be subject to some variation (PRAGMATICS 1.1.2).

            Some LIS signers tend to articulate personal pronouns with the extended index finger regardless of the status of the referent. This is shown in the two examples below: a regular pointing pronoun is used to refer to a high-status addressee in (a) and a high-status non-addressed referent in (b).

                                                                y/n

            a.         tomorrow present ix₂

            ‘Will you be here tomorrow?’ (to the boss)

            b.         ix₃ boss poss₁

            ‘He is my boss.’

As we can observe, the particular communicative setting does not trigger any modification in the articulation of the personal pronoun. Indeed, no change occurs in the handshape or location of the sign.

            However, according to other LIS signers, it is possible to mark the high social status of a referent by articulating the personal pronoun with unspread 5 handshape (shown below), rather than G handshape.

            Figure: Unspread 5 handshape used as honorific form