A cross-linguistic comparison of reference across five signed languages

Abstract Do signers of different signed languages establish and maintain reference the same way? Here we compare how five Western deaf coordinate fully conventionalized forms with more richly improvised semiotics to identify talk about referents varying agency. The (based on a convenience sample) are Auslan, Irish Sign Language, Finnish Norwegian Swedish Language. Using ten retellings Frog, Where Are You? from each language, analyze tokens referring expressions respect to: (a) activation status (new vs. maintained re-introduced); (b) semiotic strategy (e.g., pointing sign, fingerspelling, enactment); (c) animacy (human animal inanimate object). Statistical analysis reveals many similarities some differences across languages. For example, language typically used new referents, less conventional strategies reintroduce referents. Differences were mainly observed in relation patterning categories use fingerspelled words ambient spoken/written We suggest that doing these involves both language-specific ecology-specific strategies. latter may be attributed social historical trajectories language.