Constituent order in Serbian Sign Language declarative clauses

Constituent order can encode grammatical relations in a language. The visual-spatial modality imbues sign languages with characteristics such as simultaneity or the use of space which raise question appropriate unit analysis constituent studies. In this paper, we provide empirical evidence on core constituents elicited declarative clauses for non-reversible, reversible and locative states-of-affairs Serbian Sign Language (SZJ). Forty (near-)native deaf SZJ signers, ranging age between 18 70 years old, participated data-collection. We consider linguistic social factors 810 purposes study. Our findings suggest that SVO is preferred non-locative two overtly expressed arguments, whilst GROUND-FIGURE-LOCATIVE RELATION most frequent pattern clauses. argue our results some support claim language discourse be analysed terms clause, but other strategies typical visual simultaneous expression constituents, manual non-manual features, space, argument incorporation into form verb omission, complicate traditional notion sequential clause central element and, by extension, languages. Consequently, description calls careful consideration different types data way gaining clearer insight nature