Construction of the Signing Interaction Space Motivated by the Environment: Through Analysis of the Use of Space in a Multiparty Fiji Sign Language Interaction

Abstract

This study discusses how signers of Fiji Sign Language (FJSL) deal with the interactional aspect of the use of space in sign language. Previous studies have revealed that signers express a variety of linguistic information by using the “signing space,” which is the space in front of a signer. These studies have also revealed diversity in the use of space in sign language. However, since most of these studies aimed to unravel the linguistic features of sign language, little attention has been given to how signers deal with the interactional aspect of the use of space, namely how signers share this space with others. Considering the above, this study analyzes the use of space in a multiparty FJSL interaction in an environment familiar to signers, from an interactional perspective. The results are as follows: (1) FJSL signers prefer to use space depending on shared background knowledge and the environment surrounding them in order to deal with the interactional aspect of the use of space. (2) Thus, shared background knowledge and a common environment were seen to motivate their repetitive co-use of space, co-constructing a “signing interaction space” that encompasses the group and this cannot be reduced to an individual's signing space.