A Grammar of Italian Sign Language (LIS)

Conversational repairs are used for several reasons and fulfil various communicative functions. Generally, repairs serve to correct a statement which is considered wrong by the signer or the addressee. Repairs can also be used to add a comment to the content expressed by the turn-holder. Moreover, repairs occur when the signer is looking for a specific sign or when s/he tries a self-rephrasing. Repairs can be realised manually (e.g.  a manual negation) or non-manually (e.g. a head shake). A strategy which is common in sign languages is represented by repairs connected with the signing space. An example of corrective repair capitalising on the signing space is presented below.

         A:           two twin ix₁ be_familar ix_a s-a-r-a_a ix_b m-a-r-c-o_b ix_3b hair black ix_3a hair blond 

         B:                                                                                                                                               not, ix_3a black ix_3b blond contrary

         ‘I know two twins: Sara and Marco, he has black hair and she is blond.’ ‘No, she has black hair and he has blond hair. It’s the opposite.’