In DGS, pointing signs are primarily used for localization [Morphology 4.2] and referring back to these referents in the signed discourse. Additionally, they can undertake the role of determiners [Lexicon 3.6], locatives and pronouns [Lexicon 3.7]. Moreover, pointing signs can be expressed from different perspectives [Pragmatics 8.3].
Used to refer to non-present entities or people, pointing signs typically appear with H -handshape directed towards the signing space, while in their deictic usage these signs are directed towards the present people or entities. The handshape of these signs can have phonetic variants of H -handshape (e.g. loose pointing or C -handshape) and assimilate to immediately preceding or following signs [Phonology 3.1.1].
Pointing signs used as determiners can combine with nouns following or preceding them, as in examples (a) and (b). These signs can as well refer to locations, in those cases they function as pronouns, as can be seen in examples (b) and (c). Non-manuals such as eye-gaze, eye brow raise, squint and head nod may accompany pointing signs (see example (b)). These non-manuals may optionally spread on the nouns following or preceding pointing signs within discourse of DGS.
a. previously ix1 ix(dem)a woman seea
‘I saw this woman before.’
hn
sq
b. ix(loc)a previously ix1 cat ix(dem)b++ seeb ix(loc)a
‘There I saw this cat before, there. ’
c. previously ix1 ixa seea
‘I saw her before.’
Pointing signs following nouns express definiteness. In case of animals or small persons, the pointing sign is directed to the lower part of the signing space. Examples of post nominal pointing signs in DGS are given below.
a. man ixa ix1 know. ixa friend meet. ixa happy.
‘I know this man. He meets a friend. He is happy.’
b. dog ixa [ipsi_down]++bone find. ixa[ipsi_down]happy.
‘The dog finds a bone. It is happy.’
(based on Happ & Vorkörper, 2006: 96)
Locative ix as opposed to demonstrative usage, is used only to refer to place names. It either follows a place name or used on its own to refer to proximate or distant locations.
a. berlinix(loc)a poss2 student dgs intensive course take_part can
‘In Berlin, your students can take part in an intensive DGS course’
b. ix(loc)a ix1 dgs intensive course pst take_part
‘Here, I took part in an intensive DGS course.’
In cases where the exact position of the objects does not need to be specified, pointing signs can be used to indicate locations of the objects in respect to other objects. In these constructions, the orientation of ix changes flexibly according to the location of the figure object relative to the ground object. See examples from DGS below.
a. table ix(loc)a book
‘A book is on the table.’
b. house ix(loc)a coach
‘A coach is in the house.’
(based on Happ & Vorkörper, 2006: 98)
Person indexicals are manual pointing signs either directed to a signer (ix1), an addressee (ix2) or a third person (ix3) referent [Lexicon 3.7]. In case they appear in reported utterances marked via role shift [Pragmatics 6], these items must be interpreted with respect to the reported context. See DGS example below.
rs:3a
lena ix3a anna ix3b 3atell3b ix1 tomorrow1help2
‘Lena told Anna: I will help you tomorrow.’
(based on Herrmann & Steinbach, 2007: 166)
Pointing signs can have distinctive usages under different perspectives. Used for descriptions from observer’s perspective, these signs are directed to the area in front of a signer pointing to the referents as the signer sees them externally. In the DGS example below the signer points to the locus associated with the elephant on the described visual as she sees it and uses a reduced area of the signing space.
h1: ixa[proximal]
h2:
‘There is an elephant.’
(based on Perniss, 2007: 207)
When used from the character’s perspective, pointing signs are typically produced on a bigger dimension of the signing space. In the DGS example below the signer describes the visual given on left, where the elephant stands just opposite the mouse. This scene is signed from the perspective of the mouse who points to the location of the elephant.
h1: ixa[distal]
h2:
‘There is an elephant.’
(based on Perniss, 2007: 207)