3.1. Agreement
Agreement is a relationship between two (or more) elements to express the same information.
In Spanish Sign Language (LSE), agreement occurs in number, person, and space. It is marked either by modifying the verb or using an agreement auxiliary, or both.
When the verb is modified, one or more of its parameters change, such as the place where it is articulated, the path of its movement, and its configuration (handshape and orientation).
However, not all verbs in LSE can be modified to show agreement. For example, the verb LIKE remains unchanged. These unmodifiable verbs are called simple verbs.
In examples (1) and (2), the verb LIKE remains unchanged despite having different subjects and objects.
For these simple verbs, agreement can be marked through other means, such as the agreement auxiliary sign AUX.
The path movement of AUX in (3) indicates the subject (I) and the object of LOVE (you).
AUX can also appear with verbs that allow inflection but haven't been modified. Thus, signers can either modify the verb or use the agreement auxiliary sign—or use both mechanisms in the same sentence.
Examples (4), (5), and (6) are all grammatically correct. In (4), EXPLAIN has been modified to agree; in (5), the unmodified verb uses the auxiliary; and in (6), both strategies are combined.
Therefore, a key feature of spatial agreement in LSE is that verb modification is optional (Costello, 2016).
In verbs that show two arguments, agreement can be marked through the path movement between two locations, each one associated with an argument. Some verbs also use palm or finger orientation to mark arguments, as in (4). Certain verbs show arguments through orientation alone, without path movement. These verbs requiring two arguments for agreement are traditionally called directional verbs, and they can be either transitive (taking one object) or ditransitive (taking two objects) (Herrero Blanco, 2009, p. 282).
While this section of GramLSE primarily describes manual agreement, non-manual elements like torso position, head movement, and gaze direction can either accompany or replace these agreements (Herrero Blanco, 2009, pp. 88-89, 274).
In example (7), adapted from Herrero Blanco (2009, p. 89), agreement with the object is shown through gaze and head direction.
Costello, B. y Villameriel García, S. (2025). Morphology: verbal inflection: agreement. En 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. Recuperado el dd de mes de aaaa de https://cnlse.es/es/recursos/gramlse/ingles/index/morphology/chapter-3-verbal-inflection/3-1-agreement/
- Next: 3.1.1. Person and locative markers
- References
- Spanish sign language and written Spanish version
- Glossary (in Spanish sign language and written Spanish)