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Article published In:
Sign Language & Linguistics
Vol. 18:1 (2015) ► pp.1–40

Researching linguistic features of text genres in a DGS corpus

The case of finger loci

| Humboldt University Berlin
| University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal

In this article, we investigate the referential and textual functions of finger loci, that is, the pointing towards one or more fingers of the weak hand in signed discourse. The first part of the article deals with the theoretical discussion about referentiality and the related notions of definiteness and specificity in the literature on spoken languages. The second empirical part of the article shows that the use of finger loci in German Sign Language (DGS) varies according to the genre of signed discourse, fulfilling not only referential but also textual functions. Furthermore, formal variations within the use of finger loci reflect referential gradation and specificity.

Keywords: referentiality, definiteness, specificity, sign language, text genre, pointing
Published online: 29 October 2015
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https://doi.org/10.1075/sll.18.1.01han
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Gabarró-López, Sílvia
2019. Describing buoys from the perspective of discourse markers. Sign Language & Linguistics 22:2 ► pp. 210 ff. DOI logo
Wilcox, Sherman, André Nogueira Xavier & Satu Siltaloppi
2023. List constructions in two signed languages. Language and Cognition ► pp. 1 ff. DOI logo

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