3.2.2.2. Spatial verbs

Spatial verbs in Spanish Sign Language (LSE) are modified to show agreement with locations in the signing space. However, unlike agreement verbs with subject and/or object arguments described in the previous section, spatial verbs agree with locative arguments rather than with the locations of their subject and/or object.

(1) MADRIDright BARCELONAleft I rightFLY-BY-PLANEleft (I flew from Madrid to Barcelona)

In (1), the verb moves from one location (associated with Madrid) to another (associated with Barcelona). The verb FLY-BY-PLANE is a spatial verb of movement.

Another type of spatial verb also moves between locations in the signing space and refers to location or placement, as shown in (2).

(2) SCHOOLleft INTERPRETERleft APPROPRIATE NO, BETTER HIGH-SCHOOLright INTERPRETERleft leftTRANFERright (It doesn't make sense for the interpreter to be at the school, he/she'll be better at a high school)

In (1) and (2), the spatial verbs describe movement actions (like FLY-BY-PLANE) or placement actions (like TRANSFER). Both require movement from one place to another. However, some spatial verbs agree with a single location and their meaning depends on where the verb is articulated in the signing space, as shown in (3).

(3) MARIA CITYright VALLADOLIDright TWO-MONTHS STAYright (Maria stayed two months in Valladolid)

Unlike (1) and (2), the verb in (3) does not move from one place to another.

Many spatial verbs can be modified using classifiers, which allows for a wide variety of constructions like those shown in (4) and (5).

(4) BOOKSHELF BOOK upCL:TAKE-OBJECT-FROM-ONE-PLACE-AND-PUT-IN-ANOTHERdown (He/She put the book on the lower shelf)

In (4), the predicate uses a classifier that moves between two locations to show where the book moves from and to.

(5) TABLE SON PROright CL:PERSON-ON-TOP-OF-THE-TABLE (My son is on top of the table)

In (5), the location of the person classifier shows where he is in relation to the background (table).

As noted in another section of GramLSE [MORPHOLOGY 3.1.1.3. Location markers], it is sometimes difficult to distinguish a locative argument from a subject/object argument. This makes it challenging to classify the verb as spatial verb or as an agreement verb with subject–object argument. Example (6) with CALL-BY-PHONE demonstrates this ambiguity (Chapa, 2001, pp. 269–270).

(6) NEIGHBOURdown downCALL-BY-PHONEme (The neighbour from downstairs calls me on the phone)

Costello, B. and Villameriel García, S. (2023). Lexicon: parts of speech: verbs: agreement verbs: spatial verbs. In S. Villameriel García (Ed.), Gramática de la Lengua de Signos Española (GramLSE) / Grammar of Spanish Sign Language (GramLSE). Real Patronato sobre Discapacidad-Centro de Normalización Lingüística de la Lengua de Signos Española. Retrieved Month DD, YYYY, from https://cnlse.es/es/recursos/gramlse/ingles/index/lexicon/chapter-3-parts-of-speech/3-2-verbs/3-2-2-agreement-verbs/3-2-2-2-spatial-verbs