Article

Name: Expression of intensification in Russian Sign Language

Authors: Elizaveta V. Filimonova

Institute of Linguistics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation

In the section Linguistics

Abstract:

The paper describes the ways of expressing intensification in Russian Sign Language. The study methodology involves direct elicitation and analysis of data from the Russian Sign Language corpus. The findings indicate that Russian Sign Language uses diverse methods to express intensification. Regarding adjectives, intensity can be indicated through variations in signs parameters, including movement and configuration. Both adjectives and verbs can be intensified through two-handed reduplication. Also, non-manual markers play a crucial role, with common combinations including closed eyes, furrowed brows, an open mouth, or raised brows paired with an open mouth, often accompanied by head position changes. Additional non-manual intensifiers include puffed cheeks and the mouth gesture “af.” Lexical intensifiers are also used, such as OCHEN” (VERY), PSIKH (CRAZY), and SIL”NO (STRONG), the latter likely loaned from spoken Russian and used predominantly by hard-of-hearing signers. OCHEN” and PSIKH are applied to different type predicates and seem to differ stylistically. Notably, Russian Sign Language employs similar strategies for both intensification and narrative foregrounding, such as increased movement amplitude. While Russian Sign Language shares intensity-marking features with other sign languages (e.g., non-manual markers and parameter modulation), it diverges sharply from spoken languages as it relies not on affixation but on non-manual cues absent in oral communication.

Keywords: ssian Sign Language, intensification, non-manual markers, sign modification

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