1.1.1. Pointing
Pointing is expressed with manual signs directed to an area in signing space [LEXICON 1.2.2]. A pointing sign may co-occur with a noun or rather be alone. It may be directed to a present object or referent, and it may also be directed to a non-present referent. In the first case it has a deictic use, while in the second it has an anaphoric use, because it is associated with an area in signing space previously established for a discourse referent.
Pointings may undertake different functions. In the first sentence below, the pointing co-occurs with a noun and therefore functions as a determiner. In the second sentence the pointing occurs alone and functions as a pronoun.
a) kid3a smart.
‘The/that kid is smart.’
b) ix3a smart.
‘He/she is smart.’
Moreover, LSC has the potential of also directing eye gaze to a spatial location. Eye gaze may co-occur with the manual sign in both anaphoric and deictic reference. Only in deictic uses, that is when the object or person is present in the situation context, eye gaze may occur alone. In the example below the signer does not use a manual pointing, but rather eyegaze suffices to “point” to the present individual being referred to.
eg-a
do-what.
‘What is he/she doing?’