The Grammar of Libras

Brazilian Sign Language

Presentation
Objectives
Initial Information
Teacher Learning Alternatives

1. Introduction

[Link] Structure of LIBRAS

[Link] Acquisition by Deaf Children

4. Introduction to the Grammar of LIBRAS

LUCINDA FERREIRA BRITO

Doctor in Linguistics
Department of Linguistics and Philology
from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Sign languages are natural languages because, like spoken languages,

they spontaneously suggest from the interaction between people and because of their
structure allows the expression of any concept - descriptive, emotional,
rational, literal, metaphorical, concrete, abstract - in short, they allow for the expression of
any meaning arising from the communicative and expressive need of the
human being.

That's why they are complex, because they are equipped with all the mechanisms.
necessary for the mentioned objectives, however, economical and 'logical' because
serve to achieve all these goals quickly and efficiently and to a certain extent
point automatically. This is because, often dealing with
meanings that require complex operations that must be transmitted
promptly in the face of different situations and contexts, its users will have
to utilize the structural mechanisms that they offer in a way
appropriate without having to think and elaborate at length on how to achieve your
linguistic objectives.

Sign languages are distinguished from spoken languages because they utilize
a visual-spatial medium or channel and not an oral-auditory one. Thus, they articulate
especially and are perceived visually, that is, they use space and the
dimensions that it offers in the constitution of its "phonological" mechanisms,
morphological, syntactic, and semantic elements to convey meanings, which are
perceived by its users through the same spatial dimensions. Hence
the fact that they often present iconic shapes, that is, linguistic forms
that try to copy the real reference in its visual characteristics. This
iconicity is more evident in the structures of sign languages than in
oral is due to this fact and to the fact that space seems to be more concrete and
 TANYA A. FELIPE1
Full Professor at UPE
Coordinator of the FENEIS research group

The Universal in Languages

[Link] Signal and its Parameters

[Link] Language Transcription System

[Link] Processes of Word Formation in LIBRAS

5. The Grammatical Categories in LIBRAS

[Link] in LIBRAS
[Link] in LIBRAS
[Link] in LIBRAS
[Link] in LIBRAS
[Link] of Sentences in LIBRAS

The Universal in Languages

Research on sign languages has shown that these languages are
comparable in complexity and expressiveness to any spoken languages.
These languages express subtle, complex, and abstract ideas. Their users
we can discuss philosophy, literature or politics, in addition to sports, work, fashion
and use it with aesthetic function to create poetry, stories, theater, and humor.

Like any language, sign languages expand their vocabularies with

new signs introduced by the deaf communities in response to changes
cultural and technological.

Sign languages are not universal; each sign language has its own
Thus, like hearing individuals in different countries
they speak different languages, as well as people who are deaf all over the world,
that are part of 'Deaf Cultures', have their own languages,
therefore there are many different sign languages, such as: Sign Language
Francesa, Chilena, Portuguesa, Americana, Argentina, Venezuelana, Peruana,
Portuguesa, Inglesa, Italiana, Japonesa, Chinesa, Uruguaia, Russa, Urubus-
Kaapor, citing just a few. These languages are different from each other.
they are independent of the oral-auditory languages used in these and other countries,
for example: Brazil and Portugal have the same official language, Portuguese,
but the sign languages of these countries are different, the same happens with
the United States and England, among others. It may also happen that
the same sign language is used by two countries, as is the case with
American Sign Language that is used by the deaf in the United States and
Canada.

Although, deaf people from countries with different sign languages communicate.
more quickly with each other, a fact that does not occur among speakers of
oral languages, which require a much longer time for understanding.
This is due to the ability that deaf people have in developing and
take advantage of gestures and pantomimes for communication and be attentive to
facial and body expressions of people.
Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS) is the sign language used by
deaf people who live in cities in Brazil where there are deaf communities,
beyond her, there are records of another sign language that is used by the
Urubus-Kaapor Indians in the Amazon Rainforest.

LIBRAS, like all sign languages, is a gestural modality language.

visual because it uses, as a channel or means of communication, movements
gestures and facial expressions that are perceived by vision; therefore,
the difference of the Portuguese Language, which is a language of oral-auditory modality
to use, as a channel or means of communication, articulated sounds that are
perceived by the ears. But the differences are not only in the use
from different channels, are also in the grammatical structures of each language.
Although with the peculiar differences of each language, all languages possess
some similarities that identify it as a language and not as a mere communication system such as,
for example, the language of bees, dolphins, monkeys, in short, the
communication of animals.

One similarity between languages is that they are all structured from
minimum units that form more complex units, that is, all
they have the following linguistic levels: the phonological, the morphological, the
syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic.

At the phonological level, languages are made up of phonemes. Phonemes only

have contrastive value, they do not have meaning but, based on the rules of each
Language combines to form morphemes and these words.

In the Portuguese language, the phonemes I m I I n I I s I I a I I e I I i I can

combine and form the word I girls I.

At the morphological level, this word is formed by the morphemes {menin-} {-a} {-
s}. Unlike phonemes, each of these morphemes has a
significado: {menin-} é o radical desta palavra e significa “criança”, o morfema {-
a} means 'feminine gender' and the morpheme {-s} means 'plural'.

At the syntactic level, this word can combine with others to form the
phrase, which needs to make sense in coherence with the meaning of the words
In a context, what corresponds to the semantic levels (meaning) and
pragmatic (meaning in the context: where it is being used) respectively.
Oanother similarity between the languages is thatand the users of any language
can express their thoughts differently that's why a person who
speaks a certain language according to the context: the way of communicating
Talking to a friend is not the same as talking to a stranger.
It is what is called a register. When you learn a language, you are learning
also to use it from the context.
Another similarity is that all languages have differences regarding
to its use in relation to the region, the social group, the age group, and the gender. The
official language teaching always works with the standard language, the standard
standard, which is used in written and spoken form and always takes some region
and a social group as a standard.

When sign languages are given the status of a language, it is because they, although
being of a different modality, they also have these characteristics in
regarding regional, socio-cultural differences, among others, and in relation to
its structures that are also composed of the levels described above.

2. The Signal and its Parameters

What is referred to as a word or lexical item in oral-auditory languages,
they are called signals in sign languages.

The sign is formed from the combination of hand movements with a

specific format in a specific place, this place can be a
part of the body or a space in front of the body. These joints of the hands,
that can be compared to phonemes and sometimes to morphemes, are
parameter calls, therefore, in sign languages can be
the following parameters were found:

1. hand configuration: they are shapes of the hands, which can be of

dactylology (manual alphabet) or other forms made by the dominant hand
(right hand for right-handed people), or by both hands of the sender or signaler.
The signs LEARN, ORANGE, and ADORE have the same configuration of
hand

2. articulation point: it is the place where the predominant hand strikes

configured, being able to touch some part of the body or be in a space
neutral vertical (from the middle of the body to the head) and horizontal (in front of the
emitter). The signs WORK, PLAY, FIX are made in the
neutral space and the signs FORGET, LEARN and THINK are made in
test

3. movement: signs may have movement or not. The signs mentioned

Above there is movement, with the exception of THINKING that, like the signals
KNEELING, STANDING, has no movement;

4. guidance: signals can have a direction and the reversal of this can
signifies the idea of opposition, contrary, or agreement of number-personal, such as
the signals WANTING AND NOT WANTING; GO and COME;
 5. Facial and/or body expression: many signs, beyond the four
the parameters mentioned above, in their configuration have as a trait
differentiator also facial and/or bodily expression, like the signs
HAPPY and SAD. There are signs made only with the cheek like THIEF,
ATO-SEXUAL.

In the combination of these four parameters, or five, we have the signal. To speak
with the hands is, therefore, to combine these elements that form the words and
you form the sentences in a context.

To converse, in any language, it's not enough to know the words, it's
I need to learn the rules for combining these words in sentences.

3. Transcription System for LIBRAS

Sign languages have their own characteristics and therefore have been used.
but the video for its remote playback. There are systems for
conventions for writing them, but as they usually require a period
for study to be learned, in this book, we are using a 'System
of notation in words.

This system, which has been adopted by language researchers

signs in other countries and here in Brazil, have this name because the words of
an oral-auditory language is used to represent approximately the
signs.

Thus, LIBRAS will be represented based on the following conventions:

1. The signs of LIBRAS, for the sake of simplification, will be represented

by lexical items of the Portuguese Language (LP) in uppercase letters. Examples:
CASA, ESTUDAR, CRIANÇA, etc;

2. a sign, which is translated by two or more words in language

Portuguese will be represented by the corresponding words separated by
hyphen. Examples: CUT-WITH-KNIFE, WANT-NOT 'not to want', HALF-
DAY, NOT YET, etc;

3. a compound sign, formed by two or more signs, that will be

represented by two or more words, but with the idea of a single thing,
will be separated by the symbol ^. Examples: HORSE^STRIPE 'zebra';

4. dactylology (manual alphabet), which is used to express names of

people, from localities and other words that do not have a sign, is
represented by the word separated, letter by letter by hyphen. Examples:

JOA, ANESTHESIA;

5. the spelled-out sign, that is, a word in the Portuguese language that, by
loan, came to belong to LIBRAS for being expressed by the alphabet
manual with an incorporation of its own movement, is being
represented by the fingerspelling of the signal in italics. Examples: R-S 'real', A-C-
H-O, QUM 'who', N-U-N-C-A, etc;

6. in LIBRAS there are no endings for genders (masculine and feminine) and
number (plural), the sign, represented by a word of the Portuguese language that
has these brands, is finished with the symbol @ to reinforce the idea of
absence and not having confusion. Examples: AMIG@ "female friend(s) and male friend(s)"
cold
todo(s)”, EL@ “ela(s), ele(s)”, ME@ “minha(s) e meu(s)” etc;

7. Non-manual features: facial and body expressions, which are made

simultaneously with a signal, they are represented above the signal to which
Is it adding any idea, which could be in relation to:

a) type of sentence or adverb of manner:interrogative you... I ... negative or... neg ...etc

For simplification, the representation of sentences will be used in

exclamatory and interrogative forms, the punctuation marks used in
written forms of oral-auditory languages, that is: !, ? and ?!

b) adverb of manner or an intensifier:very etc;

quickly exp.f frightened

interrogative exclamatory very

Examples: NAME ADMIRE LEASH

8. the verbs that have gender agreement (person, thing, animal),

through classifiers, classifier types are represented in
subscribed. Examples:personWALKvehicleWALK,
rounded thingTO PLACE, etc;

9. the verbs that have agreement of place or personal number,

through directed movement, they are represented by the word
corresponding with a letter in subscript that will indicate:

a) the variable for the place: i = point close to the 1st person,
j = point close to the 2nd person,
e k' = points close to 3rd persons,
e = left,
d = right;

b) grammatical people:1s, 2s, 3s = 1a, 2ae 3asingular people;

1d 1a, 2ae 3adual people;
1st person = 1 2 e 3 people of the plural;
a a a

Examples:1sGIVE2SI give to "you",

2s ASK3Pyou ask them

kdANDARk,andwalk from the right (r) to the left (l).

 10. Sometimes there is a mark of plural by the repetition of the signal. This mark
will be represented by a cross on the upper right side of the signal being
repeated

Example: GIRL +

11. When a signal, which is usually made only with one hand,
Two signals are being made by both hands simultaneously.
represented one below the other with indication of the hands: right (md) and
left (me).

Examples: EQUAL (md) A lot of peopleWALK (me)

` SAME (me) PERSONEM-PÉ (md)

These conventions have been used to represent, linearly,

a space-visual language, which is three-dimensional. Felipe (1988,
1991,1993,1994,1995,1996)

The Processes of Word Formation in

Brazilian Sign Language
Books on the grammars of languages usually include a section
about the processes of word formation.

In LIBRAS, the signs are formed based on: hand configuration,

movement, orientation and pivot point, these parameters have already been
mentioned in the Introduction of this book.

These four parameters can be compared to "pieces" of a signal.

because sometimes they have meanings and, through changes in their
combinations, they form the signals. Therefore:

a) the configuration of hands can be a marker of gender (animated:

person and animals / inanimate: things). Example:

PERSON CL:GkCARRO CL5k, VEHICLECOLLIDEk

The car hit a person.

b) the point of articulation can be a mark of verbal agreement with

the adverb of place. Example:

TABLEiCOPOrounded-object-TO PLACE
I put the glass on the table.

c) the movement can be a root. Examples:

GO, VIR, PLAY.

 The change in the frequency of movement can be a characteristic mark
WORK-CONTINUOUSLY
TOO MUCH, or an intensifier: WORK A LOT;

d) the orientation can be a number-person agreement. Examples:

ASK2sI ask you

1s
ASK1syou ask me
2s
or an adverb of time. Examples: YEAR and LAST YEAR.

Making a parallel of these parameters that, as was shown,

they can have a meaning, with some phonemes of the Portuguese language, that
they can also have a meaning, we will have:

(1) the definite articles: a and o. Examples: the girl, the boy;

(2), as gender and plural endings. Examples: girl, houses.

In LIBRAS, therefore, the processes of word formation can

occur through:

1. Modifications by addition to the root: a root can be modified through the

addition of affixes. For example, the incorporation of negation is a process of
modification by addition to the root because,

• suffix, it is incorporated into some verbs: the root, which has a

determined movement at first, ends with a
opposite movement, which characterizes the embedded denial; as in us
to want2;
• as a prefix, it simultaneously incorporates into the root through the
movement or body expression: HAVE / HAVE-NOT; CAN / CAN-NOT
NO.

Negation, in addition to being able to occur through these morphological processes,

it can also occur syntactically because, through the adverbs 'NOT' AND
‘NOTHING’, you can construct a negative sentence, like in the example: I ENGLISH
KNOWING NOTHING, UNDERSTANDING NOTHING

I don't know English, I don't understand anything.

There is still the incorporation of the intensifier: 'very' or of adverbs of

ways that also alter the movement of the root.

2. Internal modification of the root: a root can be modified in three ways

of increase:

a) the deflection that, through directionality, marks people of the

speech, causing the root to invert or even take on an arch shape3
;
 b) the addition of the verbal aspect that, through changes in frequency
The movement of the root marks the durative, continuous aspects, etc.;

c) the addition of a gender agreement marker that, through

hand configurations (classifiers), specifies the thing: flat object
vertical/horizontal, round, etc

[Link] Derivation Processes: in LIBRAS, like the English language, there are
many denominal verbs or verbal nouns that are invariant and
Only in context can one perceive if they are being used for the function.
of verbs or nouns. Examples: AIRPLANE / TO-FLY-BY-AIRPLANE; CHAIR /
SENTAR; FERRO / PASSAR-COM-FERRO; PORTA / ABRIR-PORTA;
play
BICYCLE
LIVE, etc.

Some of these pairs, when they have a mark of agreement with the
object, present a structure OiVilike the verb CUT-WITH-
SCISSORS; or they present a difference in relation to the parameter
movement, like the verbs GO-BY-PLANE, which presents a more
elongated, in relation to the noun AIRPLANE, and PASS WITH AN IRON, which
presents a more repeated and elongated movement, in contrast to the
repeated and retained movement for the name IRON.

4. Word formation processes: in this word formation process, two

or more roots combine and give rise to another form, another sign.
Exemplos: CAVALO^LISTRA-PELO-CORPO “zebra” ; MULHER^BEIJO-NA-
hand
EAT^MIDDAY "lunch"; etc.

It can be concluded from the above that, regardless of the modality of

language, the grammatical categories and the processes of word formation of
a certain language will point to its classification as a language of
a certain type, based on its most productive processes.

5. The Grammatical Categories in LIBRAS

Grammatical categories or parts of speech are the paradigms or
word classes of a language. All languages have words that are
classified as belonging to a type, class, or paradigm in relation
its morphological, syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic aspects. Thus,
In the Portuguese language, for example, nouns are words that have
gender and number endings are the keywords of a phrase
noun that can function as a subject or an object.

Although not all languages have the same grammatical classes and
many languages do not have some, this does not imply lack or
Inferiority, languages have different ways to express concepts.
For example, in LIBRAS there are no articles, in English there is only this one form.
for the definite article: 'the'.

The other categories that exist in the Portuguese language also exist in
SIGN LANGUAGE. Here, some more in-depth studies will be presented.
of these and others, which will not be mentioned, are already being done:

5.1. Verb in LIBRAS

Basically, in LIBRAS, there are two types of verbs:

a) verbs that do not have agreement markers, although they may have
inflection for verbal aspect;

b) verbs that have agreement markers.

When making a sentence with verbs from the first group, it is as if they
staying in the infinitive, for example:

I work at FENEIS.
he/she works at FENEIS
(3) THEY WORK AT FENEIS "they work at FENEIS.

The verbs of the second group can be subdivided into:

[Link] that have number-person agreement: the guidance

marks the people of the discourse. The starting point agrees with the subject and the end.
with the object. Examples
:
(4)1sASK2sI ask you
(5)2sASK1syou ask me

[Link] that have gender agreement: are verbs

classifiers because they are incorporated into them, through the configuration of
hand, a gender agreement: PERSON, ANIMAL, or THING. Examples:

(6)personWALK (hand configuration in G);

7vehicleWALK/MOVE (hand configuration in 5 or B, palm facing
down
(8)animalWALK (hand configuration in 5 or 5, palm down);

[Link] that agree with the location: they are verbs that
start or end in a certain place that refers to the place of
a person, thing, animal or vehicle, that is being placed, loaded,
etc. Therefore, the articulation point marks the location. Examples:

TABLE CUPwhat thing roundedPUTk;

(10) HEADkTO SHOOTk.
 These types of agreement can coexist in the same verb. Thus,
there are verbs that have agreement of gender and location, like the verb
PLACE above; and agreement of number-person and gender, like the verb
DAR. In conclusion, one can outline the system of verbal agreement in
LIBRAS, as follows:

agreement of number and person parameter orientation

2. agreement of gender and number hand configuration parameter

3. agreement of place parameter joint point

5.1.1. Classifier in LIBRAS

In the languages of the world, classifications can manifest in various ways.

forms. They can be:

• a suffix, like in Portuguese, that classifies nouns and the

menino
• it can be a particle that is placed between the words;
• and it can still be a suffix added to the verb to
establish agreement.

When assigning a quality to something like, for example: rounded,

square, full of balls, stripes, etc this represents a type of
classification because it is a descriptive adjectivation, but that does not mean that
It should necessarily be a classifier as it has been worked on.
concept in linguistic studies.

For scholars of this subject, a classifier is a form that exists

in a limited number in a language and establishes a type of agreement.

In LIBRAS, classifiers are hand configurations that are related

the thing, person, and animal function as agreement markers.

Thus, in LIBRAS, classifiers are forms that, replacing the name

that precede them can come with the verb to classify the subject or the object
that is connected to the action of the verb. Therefore, classifiers in LIBRAS are
gender agreement markers: PERSON, ANIMAL, THING.

The classifiers for PERSON and ANIMAL can be plural, which is

marked when representing two people or animals simultaneously with the
two hands or making a repeated movement in relation to the number.

The classifiers for THING represent, through agreement, a

characteristic of this thing that is being the object of the verbal action, examples:

TABLE CUPk PUTk;

rounded thing
 2 CARvehicleWALKING-BEHIND-ONE-ANOTHER (md)
vehicleWALK (me)

M-A-R-I-A A-L-E-X personPASSING-ONE-OVER-ANOTHER (md)

personPASS (me)

One should not confuse the classifiers, which are certain configurations of
hands incorporated into the movement of certain types of verbs, with the adjectives
descriptive in sign languages, as they are space-visual,
they iconically represent qualities of objects. For example, to say
in these languages that "a person is wearing a polka dot blouse,"
"checked or striped", these adjectival expressions will be drawn on the
the issuer's breast, but this description is not a classifier, rather it is an adjective
which, although it classifies, establishes only a quality relationship of
object and not gender agreement relation: PERSON, ANIMAL, THING,
What is the characteristic of classifiers in LIBRAS, as well as in others
oral and sign languages.

5.1.2. Adverbs of time

In LIBRAS, there are no time markers in the verb forms; it's as if the
verbs would almost always remain in the infinitive. The tense is marked
syntactically through adverbs of time that indicate whether the action is
TODAY, NOW
The day before yesterday; or it will take place in the future: TOMORROW. That's why the adverbs
it usually comes at the beginning of the sentence, but it can also be used at the end.
For an indefinite verb tense, the signs used are:

• TODAY, which brings the idea of 'present';

• PAST, which brings the idea of 'past';
• FUTURE, which brings the idea of future.

5.2. Adjective in LIBRAS

Adjectives are signs that form a specific class in LIBRAS and

they are always in the neutral form, thus there is no marker for gender
(masculine and feminine), in number (singular and plural).

Many adjectives, because they are descriptive and classificatory, present

iconically a quality of the object, drawing it in the air or showing it to
starting from the object or the body of the sender.

In Portuguese, when a person refers to an object as being

rounded, square, striped, etc is also describing and
classifying, but in LIBRAS this process is more 'transparent' because the
format or texture are traced in the space or on the body of the emitter, in a
three-dimensionality allowed by the modality of the language.
 In relation to the placement of adjectives in the sentence, they generally come after the
noun that qualifies. Examples:

I used to be very overweight, now I am thin.

AVOID EATING

(15) YELLOW DANGEROUS BODY

(16) SMALL RAT, BLACK COLOR, EXPERT

5.2.1. Comparative of equality, superiority, and inferiority

In LIBRAS, it can also be compared a quality based on three.

situations: superiority, inferiority, and equality.

To make comparisons of superiority and inferiority, one uses the

more or less before the compared adjective, followed by the conjunction
comparison OF-WHAT, that is:

• comparative of superiority: X BUT ------- MORE-THAN Y;

• comparative of inferiority: X LESS ---- THAN Y.

For the comparative of equality, two signs can be used: EQUAL

(index and middle fingers of both hands rubbing against each other) and EQUAL
(two hands in B, facing forward side by side), usually in
end of the sentence. Examples:

YOU OLDER THAN THEM

YOU LESS OLD THAN THEM

YOU-2 BEAUTIFUL LIKE (me)

EQUAL (md)

5.3. Pronoun in LIBRAS

5.3.1. Personal pronouns

LIBRAS has a pronominal system to represent people

speech:

• primeira pessoa (singular, dual, trial, quatrial e plural): EU; NÓS-2, NóS-
3, WE-4, WE-GROUP, WE-ALL;
• segunda pessoa (singular, dual, trial, quatrial e plural): VOCÊ, VOCÊ-2,
YOU-3, YOU-4, YOU-GROUP, YOU-EVERYONE;
• terceira pessoa (singular, dual, trial, quatrial e plural): EL@, EL@-2,
EL@-3, EL@-4, EL@-GRUPO, EL@-TOD@
 In the singular, the sign for all people is the same, that is,
The predominant hand configuration is in 'd' (index finger extended, see
manual alphabet), what differentiates one from the other is the orientation of the hand: the sign
for 'I' it is a pointing to the chest of the sender (the person who is speaking), the
the signal for "you" is a pointing to the receiver (the person you are speaking to) and
The signal for 'he/she' is a pointing gesture towards a person who is not in the conversation.
or to a designated place for a third person who is being
mentioned.

In the dual, the hand will take the shape of two, in the trial the shape will be three.
in the quatrial format there will be four and in the plural there are two signs: one sign
composed formed by the sign for the respective person of the discourse, in the singular,
but the sign GROUP; and another sign for plural that is made by the hand
predominantly with the configuration in 'd' making a circle.

As in the Portuguese language, in LIBRAS, when a deaf person is

when talking, she can omit the first and second person because, by
context, the people who are interacting know which of the two the verb
is related, therefore, when these people are being used it can
to emphasize the sentence.

When one wants to talk about a third person who is present, but
A certain reserve is desired, out of politeness, one does not point at this person.
directly. In this situation, the sender makes a sign with their eyes and a slight
nodding the head towards the direction of the person being mentioned,
you point to the palm of the hand finding the finger in the hand a little ahead
from the sender's chest, with this hand facing the direction where it is located
the referred person.

5.3.2. Demonstrative pronouns and adverbs of place

In LIBRAS, demonstrative pronouns and adverbs of place have the

the same sign, only the context differentiates them by the meaning of the sentence
accompanied by facial expression.

This type of pronoun and adverb are related to the people of

speech and represent, from the perspective of the sender, what is very close,
near and far.

These pronouns or adverbs have the same hand configuration as the

personal pronouns (hand in d), but the points of articulation and the orientations
the looks are different.

Thus, HERE is a pointing to the place near and in front of the

emitter, accompanied by a gaze at this point; ESS@ / THERE is a pointing
to the place near and in front of the receiver, added with a directed gaze
not for the receiver, but for the point indicated near the second person of the
speech; and THAT / THERE is a pointing to a more distant place, the place of
third person, but differently from the personal pronoun, when pointing to this
there is a directed gaze:

PRONOMES PESSOAIS PRONOMES DEMONOSTRATIVOS

AND ADVERBS OF PLACE
looking at the receiver
EU EST@ / HERE looking at the indicated place, near the emitter (perspective of the
emitter)

looking at the indicated place, near the 2nd person (perspective of the sender)
YOUlooking at the receiver ESS@ / AÍ
looking at the agreed place for the 3rd person or things
THElooking at the receiver THERE / OVER THERE
distanced

Like personal pronouns, demonstrative pronouns also do not

they have a brand for both male and female genders and, therefore, this absence,
or neutrality, is being marked by the symbol @.

5.3.3. Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns, like personal and demonstrative pronouns, also do not.

they have a brand for gender and are related to the people of the discourse and
not to the possessed thing, as happens in Portuguese:

• EU => ME@ NIECE;

• YOU => YOUR SPOUSE;
• EL@ => SE@.CHILD@

For the first person: ME@, there can be two hand configurations: one
it's the open hand with fingers together, that lightly taps on the chest of the sender;
the other is the hand configuration in P with the middle finger tapping on the chest.

For the second and third persons, the hand has this second configuration.
in P, but the movement is towards the referred person: second or third.

There is no specific sign for possessive pronouns in the dual, trial, quadrial.
the plural (group), in these situations personal pronouns are used
correspondents. Example: WE KID "our son/daughter"

5.3.4. Interrogative Pronouns

[Link]. QUE, QUEM, ONDE

The interrogative pronouns WHAT and WHO are generally used at the beginning.
from the sentence, but the interrogative pronoun WHERE and the pronoun WHO, when it is
being used in the sense of "who is it" or "whose is it" are more commonly used in the
final. All three signs have an interrogative facial expression made
simultaneously with them.

The interrogative pronoun WHO, depending on the context, has two forms.
different, the signs WHO and the fingerspelled sign QUM. If you want to ask
Who is ringing the bell? We use the sign WHO if we want to ask.
who missed today" or "who is talking" or even "who did this", one uses the
spelled signal QUM, as in the examples below:

interrogation.
WHO
WHO WAS BORN RIVER?
WHO WILL DO THIS?
PERSON, WHO IS IT? Who is this person?
PEN, WHO-IS Whose pen is this?
WHO-IS IT?
WHO IS IT

interrog.
QUM
WHERE ARE YOU GOING?
WHAT DO YOU SPEAK?

[Link]. WHAT, HOW, FOR WHAT and WHY

In LIBRAS, there is a tendency to use, at the end of the sentence, the

interrogative pronouns WHAT, HOW and FOR WHAT, and for the use, in the
beginning of the sentence, of the interrogative pronoun WHY, but the first ones can
can also be used at the beginning and BECAUSE can also be used at the end.

There is no difference between the interrogative 'why' and the explanatory 'because', the
the context shows, through facial and body expressions, when he is being
used in an interrogative sentence or in an explanatory sentence to the question. The pronoun
The interrogative HOW also has another form in fingerspelling:

H-O-W. Examples:

• WHICH?

NICE SHIRT. PRINTED OR SOLID WHICH?

BUT BEAUTIFUL PRINTED.

Do you read books? What is the name?

NAME "SELLING VOICES"

 • How?

Are you going to the beach tomorrow by car, bus, or on foot? How?
CAR. DO YOU WANT TO GO TOGETHER?

(25) BUYING A CAR? H-O-W TO HAVE MONEY?

TO WIN LOTTO

• FOR WHAT?

SPEAK TO HER FOR WHAT?

BECAUSE I LIKE-NOT THEM

(27) ARRIVE LATE, ARE YOU DRINKING?

NO, THINK M-L! FOR WHAT? NONSENSE!it seems that he realized, I gave myself
bad!!

• WHY?

...interrog...
Why did you miss work yesterday?
WHY BE SICK.

[Link]. WHEN, DAY, WHAT-TIME, HOW-MANY-HOURS

• WHEN is DAY

Always simultaneously with the pronouns or interrogative expressions there is

a facial expression indicating that the phrase is in interrogative form.

The question with WHEN is related to an adverb of time in

answer or to a specific day. That is why there are three different signs for
"when". One that specifies the past: WHEN-PAST ( palm of the hand
with a movement for the body of the sender), another that specifies future:
WHEN-FUTURE (palm of the hand with a movement outward from the body of
issuer), and another that specifies the day: DAY. Examples:

interrogative
(29) WHEN-PAST

interrogative

• THE TRIP TO RECIFE WHEN-PAST?

Answer: YESTERDAY, LAST MONTH, LAST YEAR, etc.

 interrogative interrogative
WHEN-FUTURE or DAY
interrogative

• THE TRIP TO SÃO PAULO WHEN FUTURE?

TOMORROW, NEXT MONTH, SUNDAY, etc;

interrogative
DAY
interrogative

• I would like to invite you to my house. Can you come?

NEXT SATURDAY, I CAN.

• What time is it?

In LIBRAS, to refer to hours, the same configuration is used as

numbers for quantity and, after twelve hours, the counting does not continue,
it starts counting again: 1 HOUR, 2 HOUR, 3 HOUR, etc.
adding the signal AFTERNOON, when necessary, because usually by
It is already known whether it refers to the morning, afternoon, evening, or night.

The interrogative expression WHAT TIME? (pointing to the wrist) is

related to chronological time, for example:

WHAT TIME

• What time do we start here?

• What time do you start working?
• What time does the class end?
• What time do you wake up?
• What time do you sleep?

The interrogative expression HOW-MANY-HOURS (a circle around the

face) is always related to the time spent to accomplish something
activity, examples:

interrogative
HOW MANY HOURS

• HOW MANY HOURS TO TRAVEL TO SÃO PAULO?

• WORK SCHOOL HOW MANY HOURS?

• Idiomatic expressions related to the sidereal year

In LIBRAS, there are 2 different signs for the idea of 'day': one sign related to
day of the month, which is the dactylology D-A-Y, and the sign DAY (duration), (which has the
hand configuration in d, hitting the forehead on the right side) Examples:

D-I-A TOMORROW?
TOMORROW DAY 17

TRAVEL RECIFE BUS I AM TIRED DAY-2

I am tired because I traveled 2 days by bus to Recife

The numbers from 1 to 4 can be incorporated into the signs DAY (duration),
WEEK-DAY, MONTH and YEAR and TIME, examples:

(36) DIA-1, DIAS-2;

(37) WEEK-1, WEEK-2, WEEK-3, WEEK-4;

(38) MONTH-1, MONTH-2, MONTH-3;

(39) ANO-1, AN0-2, ANO-3;

(40) TIME-1, TIME-2, TIME-3, MANY-TIMES

From numeral 5 onwards, there is no more incorporation and the construction used is
formed by the sign followed by the numeral follows. This construction can also
to be used for numbers less than 5, which allow incorporation
mentioned above, examples:

DAY 4, DAY 20, WEEK 8, YEAR 6

The signs DAY (duration) and WEEK can incorporate frequency

the duration through a prolonged or repeated movement. Examples:

EVERY-DAY - repeated movement;

the whole day - stretched movement;

(44) ALL-WEEK 2nd-MONDAY "every Monday" - elongated movement,

EVERY-WEEK 4 a-WEDNESDAY "every Wednesday"

5.4. Numbers in LIBRAS

Languages can have different forms to present numbers when

used as cardinals, ordinals, quantity, measure, age, days of the week
or month, hours, and monetary values. This also happens in LIBRAS.

In this language, it is ungrammatical, that is, wrong to use a single

hand configurations for certain numerals that have configurations
specific that depend on the context, for example: the cardinal number 1 is
different from the quantity 1, as in BOOK 1, which is different from FIRST-
PLACE, which is different from FIRST FLOOR, which is different from FIRST-
GRAY, which is different from MONTH-1.
The cardinal numbers, the quantities, and age starting from the number 11 are
identical. The numbers 22, 33, 44, and 77 are always articulated with the hand
pointing to the front of the transmitter.

The ordinal numbers from FIRST to NINTH have the same form as the
cardinals, but those have movements while these do not.
The ordinals from FIRST to FOURTH have movements up and down.
below and the ordinals from FIFTH to NINTH have movements to the sides. A
starting from the number TEN, there is no longer a difference between the cardinals and ordinals.

5.4.1. Use of numerals for monetary values, weights, and measures

In LIBRAS, to represent monetary values from one to nine reais,

the sign of the numeral corresponding to the value is used, incorporating the sign to it
COMMA. Therefore, the numeral for monetary value will have small movements.
rotating. It can also be used for these above values the signs of
corresponding numerals followed by the spelled-out signs R-L 'real' or R-S
reais

For values from one thousand to nine thousand, there is also the incorporation of the sign.
COMMA, but here the movement of this incorporation is more extending than
the previous values (from 1 to nine reais). It can also be used for these
values above the corresponding numeral signs followed by a DOT.

For values of one million and above, the incorporation of

signal COMMA with the corresponding numeral, but here the rotary motion
it is longer than a thousand. One can notice a gradation in both
facial expression like in this movement of the incorporated comma that remain
larger and more pronounced: from 1 to 9 < from 1,000 to 9,000 < from 1,000,000 to
9,000,000

When the value is in cents, the COMMA comes after the ZERO, but
most of the time you don't need to use the ZERO sign for cents because the
context can clarify and the values for cents remain the same as the numerals
cardinals.

6. Types of Sentences in LIBRAS

Sign languages use facial and body expressions to

establish types of phrases, such as intonations in the Portuguese language, by
this is to understand if a sentence in LIBRAS is in the affirmative form,
exclamatory, interrogative, negative or imperative, one must pay attention to the
facial and body expressions that are made simultaneously with certain signs
or with the whole sentence, examples:
 • AFFIRMATIVE FORM: the facial expression is neutral

My name is M-A-R-I-A.

• INTERROGATIVE FORM: furrowed eyebrows and a slight

head movement tilting upwards

interrogation
WHAT NAME? (interrogative facial expression made simultaneously to
signal WHICH)

interrogate
(47) NAME? (facial expression made simultaneously with the sign NAME)

• EXCLAMATORY FORM: raised eyebrows and a slight

head movement tilting up and down. It can still
also come with an intensifier represented by the closed mouth with
a movement downwards.

EU TRAVEL RECIFE, GOOD! BEAUTIFUL THERE! MEET A LOT

SURD@

• NEGATIVE FORM: the negation can be made through three

processes:

a) with the addition of the NOT sign ` the affirmative sentence:

negation
(49) UGLY SHIRT BUY NO;

b) with the incorporation of a movement contrary to that of the denied signal:

negation
LIKE-NOT MEAT, PREFER CHICKEN, FISH;

negation
EU NO LONGER TTD;

c) with a nod that can be made simultaneously with the

action that is being denied or along with the processes above:
 no
EU TRAVEL POWER

In conclusion

Understanding the grammar of a language is grasping the rules of formation

and the combination of the elements of this language. In this introduction, LIBRAS
could be perceived from some grammatical classes. The studies, already in
progress, delving into the points presented here and others not
mentioned, will be able to show the grammar of this language.

Appendix

SIMPLIFIED TRANSCRIPTION SYSTEM

FIGURE - VERBS WITH INCORPORATION OF NEGATION

FIGURE - VERBS WITH NUMBER/PERSON AGREEMENT

SIMPLIFIED TRANSCRIPTION SYSTEM

SIGNALS OF LIBRAS: IN CAPITAL LETTERS IN PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE.

Exemplos: CASA, ESTUDAR, CRIANÇA.

2. Single signal: two or more words in the Portuguese language separated by

hyphen.

Exemplos: CORTAR-COM-FACA, NÃO-QUERER "não querer", COMER-

APPLE, NOON, NOT YET.

3. Composite signal: two or more words separated by the symbol ^.

CAVA-LO^LISTRA "zebra".

4. Dactylology (manual alphabet): word separated, letter by letter, by hyphen.

Examples: J-O-Ã-O, A-N-E-S-T-E-S-I-A.

5. Spelled signal: dactylology of the word, or some letters of it, in italics.

Exemplos: R-S “reais”, A-C-H-O “acho”, QUM “quem”, N-U-N-C-A.

6. Absence of marking for genders (masculine and feminine) and number

at sign
Exemplos: AMIG@ “amiga(s) e amigo(s)” , FRI@ “fria(s) e frio(s)”, MUIT@
many and much, EVERYONE, (all and every, THEY "she, he, THEM
my(s) and my(s)

7. Facial and bodily expressions: specification overlapping the sign.

... I ... negative
a) type of sentence: !, ?, ?! orinterrogativeyou or... neg ...
quickly exp.f 'startled'
b) adverb of manner or intensifier:very

8. Gender agreement (person, thing, animal): Examples:

WALKvehicleWALKrounded thingTO PUT

person

9. Agreement of place and/or personal number:

a) variables that indicate the place: i = point close to 1aperson

j = point close to 2aperson
k e k' = points close to 3apeople
e = left
d = right

b) grammatical persons: 1s, 2s, 3s = 1a, 2aand 3asingular people;

1d = 1a, 2ae 3apeople of dual
1p, 2p, 3p = 1a, 2aand 3apeople in plural; etc

Examples:1sDAR2sI give it to you

2sASK3Pyou ask them
kdWALKcoolwalk from right to left

10. Plural marker by repetition of the sign: a cross on the right side above the
signal

Example: GIRL +

11. Signal or signals made by both hands simultaneously: one below the
outro with indication of the hands: right (md) and left (me).

Examples: EQUAL (me) many peopleWALK (me)

EQUAL (md) personWALK (md)

12. Translation of the phrase from LIBRAS to Portuguese: use of ' '

Example:1sDAR2SI give to you

FIGURE - VERBS WITH INCORPORATION OF NEGATION

TER NOT - TO HAVE

 VRJ TO WANT
NOT - TO HAVE

NO - WANTING LIKE

NO - LIKE NO - LIKE

VRJ (INES) UNDERSTAND

NO - LIKE

VSP VSP / VRJ

NO - UNDERSTAND NO - UNDERSTAND

VRJ POWER
NO - UNDERSTAND

VSP VSP / VRP

 NO - POWER NO - POWER

FIGURE - VERBS WITH AGREEMENT

NUMBER/STAFF

1sFALARg 2sTALK1s

TO CALL TELEPHONE

SHOW SHOW

1sHELP2s HELP

ASK 2sQUESTION1s

RESPONDER 2sRESPONDER1s
1sAVISAR2s 2sNOTIFY1s

1sDAR2s 2sDAR1s