Temporal reference is located on a number of temporal axes, according to the type of information to be conveyed [MORPHOLOGY 3.2]. These temporal axes are established mainly on the horizontal plane of signing space, that is the plane parallel to the floor.
Absolute time axis
For the expression of chronological time, for instance, by which we place the sentence in the present, future or past, a basic axis is used starting behind the dominant shoulder of the signer and ending in the signing space in front of the signer. Along this axis, signs referring to the past are articulated over the shoulder, and signs relating to the future are signed within the space in front of the signer. See in the following examples the articulation site for the sign year referred to the past (a) and to the future (b):
a) year-two-past ix1 travel go ix[there] Greece.
‘Two years ago I went to Greece on holiday.’
(recreated from Quer et al., 2005)
b) year-future coincide sport Olympiad.
‘Next year will be the year of the Olympic Games.’
(recreated from Quer et al., 2005)
When expressing a process that started in the past and still continues in the present, LSC uses the time line with the thumb of the dominant hand going from behind the shoulder to the neutral space, in which the location of the present may be marked by the thumb of the non-dominant hand: "to have been doing something for a long time", or without explicit indication of the present: "up till now".
ix1 vilafranca live until-now.
‘I have been living in Vilafranca for a long time.’
(recreated from Quer et al., 2005)
But, if the process does not continue in the present, or a change has taken place in the situation mentioned, the movement of the hand will be the contrary: from the neutral space going backwards towards the shoulder, as is the case of, for example, "previously".
previously always come bus now metro.
‘Previously, I always came to work on the bus, but now I take the metro.’
(recreated from Quer et al., 2005)
The past is always indicated over the shoulder of the dominant hand; if recent, on the shoulder itself - as is the case of the "recently" sign. The sign moves back away from the shoulder, the further, the longer the time that passed, and repetitions will also be more frequent the longer ago the action took place, such as in "a long time ago".
a) recently ix1 sister-in-law female give-birth.
‘My sister-in-law recently had a baby.’
(recreated from Quer et al., 2005)
b) long-time-ago cave person++ live inside.
‘A long, long time ago people lived in caves.’
(recreated from Quer et al., 2005)
In order to refer to a process started in the present that will continue in the future, the dominant hand moves from the neutral space going forward, as in "from now on", for instance.
from-now-on cold start, heat period bye.
‘From now on it will get colder, the summer is over.’
(recreated from Quer et al., 2005)
In order to indicate the future, we place temporal signs along the line leaving the body and moving forward, articulating the sign closer to the body or further away according to how distant the future may be.
future-far world earth environment different.
‘A long time from now the environment of planet Earth will be very different.’
(recreated from Quer et al., 2005)
Anaphoric axis
When we refer to a series of events, we often mark the anterior and posterior time to some of these. Such anaphoric temporal reference goes along the diagonal configured by the signer’s non-dominant arm within the signing space. See how the "before that" and "after that" signs are articulated.
ix1 want christmas follow before-that flat new move.‘I want to move to my new flat before the upcoming Christmas.’
(recreated from Quer et al., 2005)
Sequential axis
Temporal information can also be expressed through a third axis, which moves from left to right within the signer’s neutral space, on the horizontal plane. This is the space in which the sequences of temporal units such as hours, weekdays, months, years and periods are articulated.
tuesday thursday friday exam.
‘I have an exam on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.’
(recreated from Quer et al., 2005)
So far, all the contexts shown were using the horizontal plane in front of the signer’s body. Some contexts also make use of the frontal (vertical) plane, which extends parallel to the signer’s body. One such context is used to indicate hour sequences. Here the units corresponding to an imaginary clock are placed, as shown in the example below.
ix1 3compel1 pill time 3 6 9.
‘I must take a pill at 3, at 6 and at 9 o'clock.’
(recreated from Quer et al., 2005)
The frontal plane is also used via an axis that goes from an upward area towards a lower area to express an activity that has lasted all day long.
ix1 day all-day-long project cl(-): ‘type-computer’.
‘All day long, I have been working on the project.’