A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS)

4.3.3. Definite and indefinite reading

The distribution of cardinals in LIS is influenced by information structure (PRAGMATICS 4.2). In that respect, it is important to distinguish two distinct cases: i) first-mentioned referents, namely entities that are introduced for the first time into the discourse and constitute new-discourse information and ii) already-mentioned referents, namely entities that have already been mentioned in the discourse and constitute old-discourse information. The noun phrases associated with first-mentioned referents receive an indefinite interpretation, whereas the noun phrases associated with already-mentioned referents receive a definite interpretation.

         For LIS, it has been observed that when a cardinal is included in an indefinite nominal expression, it can appear either before or after the noun. When it occurs in a definite nominal expression, it must appear after the noun.

         Therefore, if a signer is introducing new referents in the discourse, the cardinal can appear either before or after the noun. In the example below, the first-mentioned referents are two children: both prenominal cardinal (a) and postnominal cardinal (b) are acceptable in this context.

 

                       

         a.               two                  child

         ‘Two children’ (indefinite reading) (recreated from Mantovan, 2017: 173-174)

 

               

         b.           child                       two

         ‘Two children’ (indefinite reading) (recreated from Mantovan, 2017: 173-174)

 

On the contrary, if a signer is talking about already-mentioned referents, the cardinal is obligatorily postnominal. Below we can see that when the two children are mentioned again in the discourse, they receive a definite reading, which is conveyed through the articulation of the cardinal two after the noun child.

 

                              

         child                                   two                                 CL(flat closed 5): ‘be_at’

         ‘The two children’ (definite reading) (recreated from Mantovan, 2017: 173-174)

 

As the example above shows, the sequence noun + cardinal conveying a definite reading is compatible with the presence of a whole-entity classifier, which defines the position in space of the already-mentioned referents.

         Another difference between the two semantic interpretations is represented by non-manuals. As we can see in the examples above, cardinals associated with an indefinite reading are usually articulated with backward-tilted head and raised eyebrows, whereas those associated with a definite reading are usually articulated with squint eyes, lowered eyebrows, and chin bent downward.

List of editors

Chiara Branchini & Lara Mantovan

Copyright info

© 2020 Chiara Branchini, Chiara Calderone, Carlo Cecchetto, Alessandra Checchetto, Elena Fornasiero, Lara Mantovan & Mirko Santoro

Bibliographical reference for citation

The entire grammar:
Branchini, Chiara and Lara Mantovan (eds.). 2020. A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS). 1st ed. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series). (http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)

A Chapter:
Smith, Mary. 2020. Syntax: 3. Coordination and Subordination. In Branchini, Chiara and Lara Mantovan (eds.), A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS). 1st ed. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series), 230-237. ((http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)

A Section:
Smith, Mary. 2020. Phonology: 1.1.1.2. Finger configuration. In Mary, Smith, Ben Smith and Carlo Smith (eds.), A Grammar of Catalan Sign Language (LSC). 1st ed. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series), 230-237. (http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)

Smith, Mary. 2020. Syntax: 3.1.2.1.3. Manual markers in disjunctive coordination. In Mary, Smith, Ben Smith and Carlo Smith (eds.), A Grammar of Catalan Sign Language (LSC). 1st edn. (SIGN-HUB Sign Language Grammar Series), 230-237. (http://sign-hub.eu/grammars/...) (Accessed 31-10-2021)