Marcação de intensidade na Libras a partir do parâmetro configuração de mão

Abstract

This work focuses on marking intensity in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) based on the hand configuration parameter, investigating how changes in the number of fingers alter the degree of the sign. The analysis centers on the comparison between two configurations: the sign in its quoted form and its intensified variation. Based on the observation of spontaneous productions by deaf subjects, the study highlights the creative nature of Libras, manifested in the production of diminutive and augmentative forms that intensify the natural meaning of the signs. The aim is to demonstrate that the use of hands to express intensity is a linguistic fact that exposes the naturalness of the language. The general objective of the research is to analyze the phonomorphological aspects of hand configuration in the processes of intensity, augmentative and diminutive, based on the hand configuration in Libras by deaf subjects in informal contexts (video format), focusing on the intensity represented, specifically, by changes in hand configuration in monomanual signing. The specific objectives are: a) To identify the different phonomorphological forms of intensity expression in Libras that present characteristics of regularity; b) Describe the intensifiers in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) in their different forms based on hand configuration; c) Identify other variations in hand configuration, such as increasing or decreasing the number of fingers, duplication of hands, and opening the hand. The research relates the production of deaf people in Libras taking into account details of hand configuration, observing how the use of one, two, three, or more fingers is directly linked to the expression of augmentative or, conversely, diminutive forms, which reflects the subjectivity and creativity inherent in the language. The corpus of this research consists of signs collected through video recordings and in-person observations. The data collection process followed the stages of capture, storage, and organization in digital files, segmenting the data between field records and audiovisual materials. The data were selected from signed productions on social networks and digital platforms, namely Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and YouTube. Intensity is understood here as a morphological aspect present in natural languages, whose objective is to express gradual variations in meaning, using linguistic form to manifest the augmentation or diminution of a characteristic. In Libras (Brazilian Sign Language), intensity functions as an intrinsic characteristic for augmenting or diminishing the meaning of a sign, manifesting itself in different degrees, as in the examples "very strong" or "very small". In the analysis of forms for intensity, 44 occurrences were recorded in total, distributed as follows: one finger (10), two fingers (6), three fingers (2), four fingers (9), and five fingers (17), revealing that the five-finger configuration is the most frequent to express greater intensity. In contrast, the data for the diminutive totaled 18 occurrences, with the single-finger variant being the most expressive, with 9 records, followed by five fingers (5), four fingers (1), and no occurrences for two or three fingers. These data confirm that hand configuration, especially the variation in the number of fingers, is the basis for the gradation of these senses in Libras (Brazilian Sign Language). Thus, we suggest that the addition of fingers is directly linked to the expression of augmentatives, while the reduction is related to diminutives, highlighting how creativity and productivity transform primitive signs into derived and intensified forms.