ABSTRACT
American Sign Language (ASL) uses space for several different functions. One of the main functions of space in ASL, and other signed languages, is to express coreference between a nominal and a pronominal form. Nominals are associated with spatial loci (through a variety of linguistic signals), and pronouns may be directed toward these loci and are interpreted as coreferential with the associated nominals. In addition, spatial loci can also be used for the interpretation of grammatical functions such as subject and object of an agreeing verb. The movement of the verb between two spatial loci determines the subject and object of the sentence. 1 The referential identity of the subject and object is determined by the association of a nominal with each spatial locus. When space operates in the service of grammatical functions, the spatial relation between the loci themselves is irrelevant to these functions, and loci can be associated with abstract concepts such as “history” or “electricity,” which are not localizable in any real-world physical space.
