# Argentine Sign Language

Argentine Sign Language (Spanish: Lengua de señas argentina, LSA) is used in Argentina. Deaf people attend separate schools, and use local sign languages out of class. A manual alphabet for spelling Spanish has been developed.

## Recognition

Argentine Sign Language (LSA) was officially recognized by the government of Argentina in 2023.

## Manual alphabet and fingerspelling

In Argentine Sign Language (LSA), the manual alphabet, also known as fingerspelling, serves as a crucial component for spelling out words and conveying specific letters of the alphabet manually through handshapes. This system allows Deaf individuals to represent words, names, or concepts for which there are no standard signs, or to clarify spelling in situations where precision is paramount.
The manual alphabet in LSA consists of a set of handshapes representing each letter of the Spanish alphabet. Each handshape corresponds to a specific letter, and the fingerspelling process involves sequentially forming these handshapes to spell out the desired word or message. The clarity and accuracy of fingerspelling in LSA rely heavily on precise hand movements, finger positions, and facial expressions to ensure effective communication.
Fingerspelling is commonly used in situations where direct translation from Spanish to LSA is not feasible, such as proper nouns, technical terms, or newly introduced concepts. Additionally, fingerspelling may be employed for emphasis, clarification, or to reinforce understanding within a conversation or educational context.
Proficiency in fingerspelling is an essential skill for both Deaf individuals and those interacting with the Deaf community, as it enhances communication flexibility and comprehension in diverse linguistic settings. Training in fingerspelling is often incorporated into LSA educational programs and language-learning initiatives to promote linguistic proficiency and fluency among users of LSA.

## Grammar

Argentine Sign Language (LSA) exhibits a distinct grammatical structure that differs from spoken languages such as Spanish. Notably, LSA lacks the concept of "Sujeto tácito" (tacit subject), a grammatical feature found in Spanish where the subject is inferred from the verb conjugation without explicit expression. In LSA, subjects are typically expressed explicitly through manual signs, facial expressions, and body movements.
LSA grammar is primarily visual-spatial and relies on a combination of handshapes, movements, and non-manual markers to convey meaning. The language employs a topic-comment structure, where the topic is established first, followed by additional information or commentary. Non-manual markers, such as facial expressions and head movements, play a crucial role in indicating grammatical aspects such as negation, question formation, and emphasis.
Verb agreement in LSA is marked through movement, location, and directionality, with verbs inflecting to indicate aspects such as tense, aspect, and mood. Adjectives and adverbs are typically placed before the noun or verb they modify, and word order can vary depending on contextual factors and emphasis.
LSA also features spatial grammar, where locations and movements in signing space are used to convey spatial relationships, pronouns, and verb arguments. Spatial referencing is dynamic and can change based on discourse context and the perspective of the signer.

### Syntax

The unmarked word order in LSA is subject-object-verb, akin to languages such as Turkish, Japanese, and Latin, but divergent from Spanish.
[PRON]$_2$
you
subject
TRABAJAR
work
object
BUSCAR-
search
verb
[PRON]$_2$ TRABAJAR BUSCAR-
you work search
subject object verb
'You are looking for a job.'
[PRON]$_1$
I
subject
PAN
bread
object
$_1$DAR-$_2$[cl:Bread]
$_{I-}$give$_{-you(-something-bread-shaped)}$
verb
[PRON]$_1$ PAN $_1$DAR-$_2$[cl:Bread]
I bread $_{I-}$give$_{-you(-something-bread-shaped)}$
subject object verb
'I give you (the) bread.'
When an indirect object is present in the sentence, it precedes the direct object.
[PRON]$_1$
I
subject
[POSS]$_1$
my
PADRE$_3$
father
indirect object
PAN
bread
direct object
$_1$DAR-$_3$[cl:Pan]
$_{I-}$give$_{-him(-something-bread-shaped)}$
verb
[PRON]$_1$ [POSS]$_1$ PADRE$_3$ PAN $_1$DAR-$_3$[cl:Pan]
I my father bread $_{I-}$give$_{-him(-something-bread-shaped)}$
subject {indirect object} {direct object} verb
'I give my father (the) bread.'
In sentences involving chains of verbs, auxiliary verbs typically appear after the main verb, contrary to English word order.
[PRON]$_2$
you
subject
TRABAJAR
work
object
BUSCAR-
search
main verb
DEBER-
must
auxiliary
[PRON]$_2$ TRABAJAR BUSCAR- DEBER-
you work search must
subject object {main verb} auxiliary
'You have to look for a job.'
[PRON]$_1$
I
subject
ANDAR-EN BICICLETA-
ride-a-bike
main verb
NO-PODER
cannot
auxiliary
[PRON]$_1$ {ANDAR-EN BICICLETA-} NO-PODER
I ride-a-bike cannot
subject {main verb} auxiliary
'I can't ride a bike.'
[PRON]$_1$
I
subject
IR-
come
main verb
PROBAR-
try
auxiliary
[PRON]$_1$ IR- PROBAR-
I come try
subject {main verb} auxiliary
'I'll try to come.'
[PRON]$_1$
I
subject
APARTAMENTO
apartment
object
LIMPIAR-
clean
main verb
NO-QUERER-
can't-be-bothered
modal verb
[PRON]$_1$ APARTAMENTO LIMPIAR- NO-QUERER-
I apartment clean can't-be-bothered
subject object {main verb} {modal verb}
'I can't be bothered cleaning the apartment.'
The Personal Agreement Marker (abbreviated as "PAM"), resembling the sign for "person" and sometimes accompanied by the mouthing "auf" ("on"), serves to indicate the location in signing space of animate objects when the verb in the sentence does not perform this function. It essentially fulfills the role of object pronouns, although it behaves more akin to an auxiliary verb, inflecting for person where the main verb does not. While there exists notable variation, particularly among dialects, it typically appears in positions similar to auxiliaries, following the verb rather than occupying the object slot. Similarly, the benefactive marker (labeled as "BEM") is positioned in a similar manner.
[PRON]$_1$
I
subject
LOVE-
love
main verb
[PAM]$_2$
you
auxiliary
[PRON]$_1$ LOVE- [PAM]$_2$
I love you
subject {main verb} auxiliary
'I love you.'
[PRON]$_1$
I
subject
DOCTOR$_3$
doctor
object
AMAR-
love
main verb
[PAM]$_3$
him/her
auxiliary
[PRON]$_1$ DOCTOR$_3$ AMAR- [PAM]$_3$
I doctor love him/her
subject object {main verb} auxiliary
'I love the doctor.'
[PRON]$_1$
I
subject
LIBRO
book
object
COMPAR-
buy
main verb
[BEM]$_2$
for-you
auxiliary
[PRON]$_1$ LIBRO COMPAR- [BEM]$_2$
I book buy for-you
subject object {main verb} auxiliary
'I bought a book for you.'
Temporal expressions (tomorrow, next week) typically precede the sentence (as a discourse topic).
YESTERDAY
yesterday
time
MUJER$_3$
woman
subject
[POSS]$_1$
my
HERMANA$_4$
sister
indirect object
LIBRO
book
direct object
$_3$DAR-$_4$[cl:Libro]
$_{she}$-give$_{-her(-something-book-shaped)}$
verb
YESTERDAY MUJER$_3$ [POSS]$_1$ HERMANA$_4$ LIBRO $_3$DAR-$_4$[cl:Libro]
yesterday woman my sister book $_{she}$-give$_{-her(-something-book-shaped)}$
time subject {indirect object} {direct object} verb
'Yesterday a/the woman gave my sister a/the book.'
Phrases specifying location often commence at the beginning of the sentence (after time information).
AYER
yesterday
time
UNIVERSIDAD [LOK]$_A$
university there
location
[PRON]1
I
subject
HOMBRE AGRADABLE
man nice
object
CONOCER
meet
verb
AYER {UNIVERSIDAD [LOK]$_A$} [PRON]1 {HOMBRE AGRADABLE} CONOCER
yesterday {university there} I {man nice} meet
time location subject object verb
'I met a nice man at the university yesterday.'
This adheres to the figure-ground principle, where smaller, more mobile referents (figures) typically follow larger, less mobile referents (ground).
BOSQUE
forest
ground
UNA CASA
house
figure
OBJETO-con$_{-una}$[SITUADO]
$_{house-shaped-object-}$is-situated-$_{there}$
verb
BOSQUE {UNA CASA} OBJETO-con$_{-una}$[SITUADO]
forest house $_{house-shaped-object-}$is-situated-$_{there}$
ground figure verb
'There is a house in the forest.'
Sentence adverbs frequently appear at the beginning of the sentence.
ESPERANZA
hope
sentence adverb
[PRON]$_3$
s/he
subject
PERRO
dog
object
COMPRA-
buy
verb
ESPERANZA [PRON]$_3$ PERRO COMPRA-
hope s/he dog buy
{sentence adverb} subject object verb
'Hopefully s/he'll buy a dog.'
However, adverbs modifying the verb but which cannot be expressed non-manually follow the verb as an extra clause.
[POSS]$_1$ JEFE
my boss
subject
BAILAR-,
dance
verb
LINDO
beautiful
adverbial clause
{[POSS]$_1$ JEFE} BAILAR-, LINDO
{my boss} dance beautiful
subject verb {adverbial clause}
'My boss dances beautifully. / My boss dances and it's beautiful.'
Wh-words (interrogatives) typically occur at the end of the sentence after the verb.
[PRON]$_2$
you
subject
ORDENAR-
order
main verb
DESEAR-
desire
auxiliary
QUÉ
what
wh
[PRON]$_2$ ORDENAR- DESEAR- QUÉ
you order desire what
subject {main verb} auxiliary wh
'What would you like to order?'
[PRON]$_2$
you
subject
D-G-S
DGS
object
APRENDER
learn
main verb
DESEAR-
desire
auxiliary
POR QUÉ
why
wh
[PRON]$_2$ D-G-S APRENDER DESEAR- {POR QUÉ}
you DGS learn desire why
subject object {main verb} auxiliary wh
'Why do you want to learn LSA?'
[PRON]$_2$
du
subject
CIENCIAS SOCIALES
social sciences
object
ESTUDIAR-
study-at-university
main verb
COMENZAR-
begin
auxiliary
CUÁNDO
when
wh
[PRON]$_2$ {CIENCIAS SOCIALES} ESTUDIAR- COMENZAR- CUÁNDO
du {social sciences} study-at-university begin when
subject object {main verb} auxiliary wh
'How long have you been studying social sciences at university?'
Some signs with a negative meaning tend to occur at the end of the sentence.
[PRON]$_1$
ich
subject
[POSS]$_2$ AMAR(R)
your partner
object
CONOCER-
meet
verb
AÚN-NO
not-yet
negation
[PRON]$_1$ {[POSS]$_2$ AMAR(R)} CONOCER- AÚN-NO
ich {your partner} meet not-yet
subject object verb negation
'I haven't met your girlfriend/boyfriend/partner/husband/wife yet.'
[PRON]$_1$
I
subject
COMER-
eat
full verb
DESEAR-
desire
auxiliary
NADA
nothing
negation
[PRON]$_1$ COMER- DESEAR- NADA
I eat desire nothing
subject {full verb} auxiliary negation
'I don't want to eat anything (at all).'
However, if the negation is not emphasized, it can also appear in the expected position.
[PRON]$_1$
I
subject
NADA
nothing
object
COMER-
eat
full verb
DESEAR-
desire
auxiliary
[PRON]$_1$ NADA COMER- DESEAR-
I nothing eat desire
subject object {full verb} auxiliary
'I don't want to eat anything.'
Determiners (articles, demonstratives, quantifiers, relative pronouns) follow the noun.
LIBRO
book
noun
[DEM]$_A$
this
determiner
LIBRO [DEM]$_A$
book this
noun determiner
'this book'
Their function is to establish the location of referents within the signing space. If this is indicated instead by directional verbs, determiners can always be omitted, provided they are not required for other reasons (such as showing possession, pluralization, etc.). There is no distinction between definite and indefinite articles.
Attributive adjectives follow immediately after the noun.
LIBRO
book
noun
NUEVO
new
adjective
LIBRO NUEVO
book new
noun adjective
'a/the new book'
The copula to be does not exist in LSA. Predicative adjectives are generally separated from the noun by a determiner.
LIBRO
book
noun
[DEM]$_A$
this
determiner
NUEVO
new
adjective
LIBRO [DEM]$_A$ NUEVO
book this new
noun determiner adjective
'This book is new.'
Comparing the preceding sentence to the following noun phrase, in which the determiner follows the adjective, demonstrates a different syntactic structure.
LIBRO
book
noun
NUEVO
new
adjective
[DEM]$_A$
this
determiner
LIBRO NUEVO [DEM]$_A$
book new this
noun adjective determiner
'this new book'
Possessive adjectives are positioned between the possessor and the possession.
HOMBRE$_3$
man
Besitzer
[POSS]$_3$
his
Possessiv
AUTO
car
Besitz
HOMBRE$_3$ [POSS]$_3$ AUTO
man his car
Besitzer Possessiv Besitz
'the man's car'
Here is an illustration of a more extended yet still straightforward, unmarked sentence.
LA SEMANA PASADA
last-week
time
[POSS]$_1$ PADRE$_3$ [POSS]$_3$ CASA [LOK]$_A$
my father his house there
location
[PRON]$_2$
you
subject
[POSS]$_1$ MADRE$_4$
my mother
indirect object
DINERO/PLATA
money
direct object
$_2$DAR-$_4$
$_{you-}$give$_{-her}$
full verb
DESEAR-
desire
auxiliary
POR QUÉ
why
wh
{LA SEMANA PASADA} {[POSS]$_1$ PADRE$_3$ [POSS]$_3$ CASA [LOK]$_A$} [PRON]$_2$ {[POSS]$_1$ MADRE$_4$} DINERO/PLATA $_2$DAR-$_4$ DESEAR- {POR QUÉ}
last-week {my father his house there} you {my mother} money $_{you-}$give$_{-her}$ desire why
time location subject {indirect object} {direct object} {full verb} auxiliary wh
'Why did you want to give my mother money at my father's house last week?'
Sections of the sentence that deviate from their typical unmarked position are accompanied by non-manual marking.
Elements of the sentence (excluding verbs) can be topicalized by relocating them to the beginning of the sentence and marking them with raised eyebrows.
raised eyebrows
MUJER [DEM]$_A$
woman that
topicalized object
[PRON]$_1$
I
subject
head shake
POSIBLE-
$_{don't-}$like
verb
{raised eyebrows} {head shake}
{MUJER [DEM]$_A$} [PRON]$_1$ POSIBLE-
{woman that} I $_{don't-}$like
{topicalized object} subject verb
'I don't like that woman. / That woman, I don't like.'
Often, a topic doesn't fulfill any other function in the sentence. In such cases, it serves to restrict the scope of the sentence. Contrast the following three sentences.
[PRON]$_1$
I
subject
ITALIA
Italy
object
ADORO-
adore
verb
[PRON]$_1$ ITALIA ADORO-
I Italy adore
subject object verb
'I love Italy.'
raised eyebrows
PAÍS
country
topic
[PRON]$_1$
I
subject
ITALIA
Italy
object
ADORO-
adore
verb
{raised eyebrows}
PAÍS [PRON]$_1$ ITALIA ADORO-
country I Italy adore
topic subject object verb
'My favourite country is Italy.'
raised eyebrows
COMIDA
food
topic
[PRON]$_1$
I
subject
ITALIA
Italy
object
ADORO-
adore
verb
{raised eyebrows}
COMIDA [PRON]$_1$ ITALIA ADORO-
food I Italy adore
topic subject object verb
'My favourite food is Italian.'