Representations of action, motion, and location in sign space: A comparison of German (DGS) and Turkish (TİD) Sign Language narratives

This paper investigates the expression of referent location, motion, and action in signed event nar­ ratives in two unrelated, yet historically comparable sign languages, German Sign Language (DGS) and Turkish Sign Language (TÍD). In particular, it focuses on how classifier and lexical predicates are used to map event space onto sign space from the perspective of either an external observer or a character within the event. Based on a qualitative data analysis, eight different construction types are identified as possible combinations of these elements. Furthermore, the paper presents a quan­ titative account of the proportions of use of these different construction types between the two sign languages. The results partially support previous claims that the iconic properties of the visual-spa­ tial modality drive the use of similar structures between sign languages for expressions in the spatial domain. However, notable differences between the two sign languages were also found, pointing to different linguistic and discourse constraints in the use of such spatial expressions.