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In my Ph.D.-thesis, I have investigated the use of space in German Sign Language (DGS) and have identified the major parameters that govern the placement and displacement of objects in signing space in DGS. A number of linguistic regularities are revealed and several principles of the grammar of space are proposed. Empirical evidence is provided that ultimately favors the locative hypothesis. The discussion shows that Generative Grammar (Chomsky, 1981ff.), Discourse Representation Theory (Kamp/Reyle, 1993), and Conceptual Semantics (Jackendoff, 1972ff.) all contribute to a fruitful understanding of the linguistics of space. The discussion includes the details of object placement (see below), the phenomenon of quantification in space, a model of the restricted use of pronominal forms, the specification of the categorial nature of locus-assigners as postpositions, and some hitherto not well understood forms of signs in DGS (and other sign languages), and a comparison of seemingly distinct classes of verbs.
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