How and When to Sign “Hey!” Socialization into Grammar in Z, a 1st Generation Family Sign Language from Mexico

“Z” is a young sign language developing in family whose hearing members speak Tzotzil (Mayan). Three deaf siblings, together with an intervening sister and niece, formed the original cohort of signing adults. A son signer became first native second generation. Z provides evidence for classic grammaticalization chain linking requesting attention (HEY1) to pragmatic turn-initiating particle (HEY2), which signals new utterance or change topic. Such emergent grammatical linked exigencies communication primordial example grammar. The chapter presents stages son’s socialization acquisition HEY1 HEY2, starting at 11 months, through his subsequent bilingual development both Tzotzil, jointly deploying other communicative modalities such as gaze touch. It proposes series leading, by 4 years age, understanding complex sequential structure that using involves. Acquiring signs HEY demonstrates how grammar language, including built upon practices community basic expected parameters local social life.