1887
Volume 21, Issue 2
  • ISSN 1387-9316
  • E-ISSN: 1569-996X
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Abstract

Abstract

This paper contains the first description of impersonal reference in Russian Sign Language (RSL). Impersonal reference has been investigated using a variety of elicitation techniques. It has been found that RSL uses a variety of strategies, namely pro-drop, an indefinite pronoun a plural pronoun , and probably a second-person pronoun in impersonal contexts. The impersonal strategies in RSL follow the general typological tendencies previously identified for spoken languages (Gast & Van der Auwera 2013), and do not show obvious modality effects (such as described by Barberà & Quer 2013). Some impersonal strategies show evidence of influence of spoken/written Russian in the form of borrowing and/or code-switching.

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2019-03-22
2025-02-19
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  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): impersonal reference; pro-drop; Russian Sign Language
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