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

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Researching linguistic features of text genres in a DGS corpus

The case of finger loci

 | Humboldt University Berlin
 | University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal
Published online: 29 October 2015
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https://doi.org/10.1075/sll.18.1.01han
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.
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