Orações relativas restritivas em Libras: uma análise inicial

Abstract

Research on the syntax of sign languages has explored the study of restrictive relative clauses, which are fundamental for modifying nouns and pronouns. However, there is a need for a deeper investigation of such structures in Libras regarding their structure and the markers associated with this specific construction. This article presents an initial study focused on these restrictive relative structures in Libras, based on the signing of reference deaf individuals available in the Libras corpus, which is part of the National Inventory of Libras (Quadros, 2016a, 2016b, 2017a, 2017b). The objective is to identify possible manual and non-manual markers present in the signs of these restrictive relative embedded structures. The analysis involves a qualitative approach to videos of narratives and interviews conducted with a reference deaf individual from the southeastern region of Brazil. The ELAN software was used for data transcription. Preliminary results suggest that non-manual markers such as brow raising or furrowing, chin elevation or tilt, torso lean, and head movements are more frequently involved in performing a relative marking function, similar to what has been identified in other sign languages. Furthermore, it is observed that the markers do not appear in isolation but as part of a set of non-manuals that fulfill this syntactic role. However, a more in-depth analysis of the data is still necessary to corroborate the conclusions obtained thus far. (Liddell, 1980; Tang & Lau, 2012; Pfau & Steinbach, 2016; Wilbur, 2017; Hauser, 2019; Bross, 2020; Rocha et al., 2023b).