A Grammar of Catalan Sign Language (LSC)

As we have seen in previous sections, some verbs in LSC are inherently reciprocal from a lexical point of view: debate, argue, agree, meet, collaborate, etc. [LEXICON 3.2.2].

However, there are other verbs, like for instance, understand or send, that are one-handed in their citation form. In order to mark the reciprocal plural, these verbs are articulated with the two hands, each of them articulating a path movement from the start location (subject) towards the end location (object).

 

 

a)     dh:   both ₃understand₁well

ndh:                   ₁understand₃

‘We understand each other very well.’

 

 

b)    dh:   ₁send₃

ndh: ₃send₁

‘We send letters to each other.’                               

 (based on Ribera, 2015: 395)

 

Moreover, when there are more than two participants, in order to express the reciprocal meaning, the verb is again articulated with two hands, and it is reduplicated alternating arc movements in each of the reduplications.

 

 

a)     ix_1pl book give_a_present, _1plgive_a_present_1pl.

              ‘We give each other books.’           

(based on Ribera, 2015: 396-397)

 

                         

 

 

b)    dh:  children_{pl 3}look₃

           ndh:                     ₃look₃

              ‘The children look at each other.’                                  

(based on Ribera, 2015: 396)