Spatial representations in discourse: Comparing spoken and signed language

The use of space in sign language discourse has been treated as a unique and almost defining characteristic of sign languages. This paper argues that the use of space in ASL is not conceptually different from the 'use of space' in spoken languages, where spatial representations can also be constructed to aid in discourse. Speakers of any language need to make clear whether they are describing elements within a non-grounded mental space (Fauconnier, 1985) or elements within a grounded mental space (Liddell, 1995). An English example demonstrates that speakers of a vocally produced language can easily set up spatial representations and that they typically make reference to such representations by making pointing gestures toward elements of those representations while speaking. The pointing gestures serve to show that the speaker is describing an element within a grounded mental space. Signers have the same need to distinguish between elements within a grounded or non-grounded mental space. They also make the distinction by making pointing gestures while signing. Sign languages contain classes of signs which combine the linguistically defined elements of a sign with gestural, pointing elements which are not linguistically defined. Thus, although the 'use of space' is not unique to sign languages, the means used by sign languages to simultaneously combine pointing gesture and sign appears to be unique.