1.2. Non-core lexicon

LSC includes in its lexicon elements that are determined by the visual nature of sign languages. These elements exploit the properties of the three-dimensional space for the expression of referents and events. Namely, they use the signing space in an isomorphic and non-categorical way in order to provide spatial descriptions, sometimes violating the phonological constraints present in the core lexicon. Also, the visual motivation of these elements makes them highly iconic and less arbitrary, and thus more transparent than items in the core lexicon. However, the meaning of these elements is highly dependent on the discourse context and crucially each sign language has its own strategies to express meaning. Therefore some elements may have a higher degree of iconicity in one sign language with respect to another one. In the following subsections three different types of entries from the non-core lexicon are explored: classifier constructions, pointing, and buoys.