2.1.3.4. Reciprocity
In a reciprocal relation a plural argument is coreferential with another argument in the same predication and the arguments are both agents and undergoers of the action (see also LEXICON 3.7.4; MORPHOLOGY 3.1.3).
When a plain verb expresses a reciprocal relation, the object position is left empty and the predicate does not show any change in its realisation, as shown in (a) and (b) below.
a. ix1+3 love
‘She and I love each other.’
b. a-n-n-a l-u-c-a ix3a+3b hug
‘Anna and Luca hug each other.’
The plain verb may also employ a reciprocal pronoun (LEXICON 3.7.4) glossed each_other: a two-handed sign produced with curved open L handshape moving back-and-forth in the neutral space between the two referents of the reciprocal relation. The following example illustrates the use of the reciprocal pronoun.
ix1+2 understand each_other
‘You and I understand each other.’
With one-handed agreeing verbs, the reciprocal relation between the arguments is expressed by simultaneously reduplicating the verbal sign, which is produced as a two-handed sign, with the hands displaying the same handshape and movement, but opposite orientation and direction, as in the following examples.
a. dom: ix1+3 3look_at1
n-dom: 1look_at3
‘She and I look at each other.’
b. dom: ix3a+3b akissb
n-dom: bkissa
‘They kiss each other.’
With two-handed agreeing verbs, the reciprocal relation between the arguments may be expressed by simultaneously reduplicating the verbal sign which is produced as a one-handed sign to allow the simultaneous realisation of the reciprocal relation, as shown below. In this case, the two-handed verbal sign has the same handshape, but the hands move toward opposite directions, as shown below:
a. dom: every_year christmas ix3a+3b adonateb
n-dom: christmas bdonatea
‘Every year at Christmas they give each other a present.’
b. dom: ix3a+3b ahelpb
n-dom: bhelpa
‘They help each other.’
An alternative strategy to express reciprocity with two-handed agreement verbs is the sequential reduplication of the verb moving from the position in space associated with referent A towards the position in space associated with referent B and vice versa. The following examples show this possibility.
a. every_year christmas ix3a+3b adonateb bdonatea
‘Every year at Christmas they give each other a present.’
b. ix3a+3b ahelpb bhelpa
‘They help each other.’
There are verbs, like love, that are produced on the signer’s body as a starting point of articulation to move towards the neutral space as a point of arrival. In the first person plural, the verb love, a two-handed sign, may also express reciprocity through what is called sequential reduplication: the sign is first articulated from the signer’s body to the object of predication, and then back, as shown in the example below.
ix1+3 1love3 3love1
‘She and I love each other.’
LIS also has intrinsically reciprocal verbs, such as meet (a) and argue (b). These verbs do not change their way of articulation to express a reciprocal relation.
a. morning ix1+3 meet
‘This morning he and I met.’
b. ix3pl^three argue++
‘The three of them always discuss with each other.’
