3.10.1.3. Distributive numerals

Distributive numerals express the number of entities that are distributed to each referent or location in a proposition. There are no distinct lexical signs for distributive numerals, instead, distributivity is expressed by using morpho-syntactic spatial strategies such as reduplicating a cardinal numeral in different loci (which refer to different entities or locations) in the signing space. Below is an example of distributive numeral use. First, three different loci are assigned to three tables in the signing space by signing table in different locations. Then, the entity, person, is introduced. After that the (distributive) numeral three is signed on the same three locations which are assigned to the tables to express the meaning  “Each (of the three) table(s) has three people sitting at it.”

table_a table_b table_c three_a three_b three_c

'Each (of the three) table(s) has three people sitting at it.'