1.1.2. Social deixis
A frequent alternate form to the index handshape, which in this case is not due to phonological assimilation but rather to social considerations, is the m-handshape in contexts of formal deixis. The use of the m-handshape in personal pronouns encodes honorific treatment.
ix2(]) please seat ixa(])(here).
‘Please, have a seat.’
An alternate use of the sign person used deictically is with m-handshape and articulated bimanually. This alternate use also encodes honorific treatment.
now ix1 person2(])bi present.
‘Let me now introduce the presenter.’
High spatial locations established on the frontal plane may be used to refer to social hierarchical relations, and more specifically superiority [PRAGMATICS 8.1.1]. The contrast between high and low locations on the frontal plane is associated with asymmetrical relations such as parents-child, boss-worker, professor-student, etc. Within this use only definite noun phrases referred by pronouns and name signs (i.e. signs used as proper names within the deaf community) are associated with high locations. Definite noun phrases formed by common nouns such as ministry, government, boos, dean, father^mother and university are in most contexts associated with high locations. Also name signs referring to someone higher in the social hierarchy are localised towards an upper spatial location. Depending on whether they have contact with the signer’s body, they are localised with an index sign co-occurring with them (a). Non-body anchored nouns may be spatially modified and thus articulated at a higher spatial location (b).
a) ixa[ipsi_up] government
(recreated from Barberà, 2012: 116)
b) university a[ipsi_up]
(recreated from Barberà, 2012: 116)
Associations of discourse referents with high spatial locations form a system of honorific speech, which are a morphological way of encoding the relative social status of the discourse referents. They express social characteristic distinctions among the entities the discourse is about. What is important to note is that, in contrast with other Indo-European languages where honorific pronouns are encoded through second person pronouns, in LSC honorificity is marked on personal pronouns (first, second and third) with a flat handshape (]) and also by spatially associating the signs with high locations (third person).