Corpus-based investigation of quotation in Russian Sign Language

This paper presents corpus-based research of quotation constructions in Russian Sign Language (RSL). Quotation constructions have been observed from different perspective in different signed and spoken languages (Brendel,
Meibauer, Steinbach 2011; Litvinenko et al. 2009). Based on the corpus of spontaneous narratives recorded from RSL signers (Burkova2015), we conducted a quantitative analysis of these constructions. We analyzed constituents of quotation construction, such as the source (author of utterance) indication, the introducing matrix predicate, and the quote. Our investigation of non-manual markers in the corpus revealed that nonmanual marking of quotation is optional for RSL quotations. We distinguished direct and indirect quotations in our data based on the reference of indexical elements, the use of subordinating conjunction, and the imperative mood. We found that in RSL non-manuals do not mark the direct/indirect type of quotation. Our data show that RSL signers tend to use direct quotation much more frequently than indirect quotation. In addition, we compared our findings with the data on quotation constructions in some other sign languages and with the studies of quotation in natural discourse of spoken languages. This comparison showed that RSL quotations share core properties with quotations in spoken and signed languages [Litvinenkoet al. 2009].