Locative Constructions in Turkish Sign Language (TID)

Space is one of the basic domains of human cognition. Every language has its own forms of representing spatial relations of entities. Spatial representations in sign languages are worth studying because in sign languages spatial relations are construed by using 3-D space (signing space). This paper aims to investigate perspective taking strategies and reference frames that are used in the static-spatial descriptions of Turkish Sign Language (TID). We find that TID signers take narrator and neutral perspectives even in situations where they know that addressees are expected to retell the descriptions. Also, TID uses intrinsic and intrinsic+relative reference frames in talking about spatial relations. We talk about situations and locate them in space in our everyday interactions. Our description of situations relies on the spatial relationships of the entities involved. We also need a reference point to describe the spatial arrangement of the entities. Choosing a reference point is, however, subject to our own experience with the environment surrounding us, our perception, and the language we use