A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS)

In LIS, definite determiners, like articles and demonstratives, are both marked by means of non-manuals. The more common are raised eyebrows, chin up, contracted cheeks, and mouth slightly open (SYNTAX 4.1.1.3) (SYNTAX 4.1.2.3).

         Moreover, the co-articulation of a sign marked with squint eyes might denote a referent that is known and familiar to both the signer and the addressee, although not necessarily salient for the addressee. In this case, squint eyes may function as a cue in order to stimulate the addressee to retrieve an entity already present in his/her mental storage, but less salient. An example of a previously mentioned topic reintroduced in the discourse and marked by squint eyes (sq) is presented below.

                                   sq

         house_a ix(dem)_a gianni agency buy done

         ‘As for that house, Gianni bought it at the estate agency.’

Another common non-manual marker which accompanies referents that are shared between the signer and the interlocutor is raised eyebrows (re), generally marking presupposed information. This is shown in the example below.

                               re

         test_a lis_a ix_a gianni_b barrive_a late. test_a neg_o

         ‘As for the LIS test, Gianni arrived late and did not take the test.’ (recreated from Brunelli, 2011: 216)