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Deaf people pay particular attention to the nonverbal frame of what is expressed, independent of the linguistic code used, and, therefore, to all components of nonverbal communication. Sight, in a Deaf person, may serve as a channel for transmitting all information expressed in this way (Volterra 1991, 207). It must be considered that a Deaf person always perceives a question via the visual channel and that LIS possesses performative aspects capable of revealing the pragmatic intentions of the interlocutor (Poggi 1987,326). At least one issue is strictly connected with my observation, data gathering , and conclusions: Can we consider the possibility of teaching and the use of self-awareness of pragmatic signs employed by LIS signers as a valid educational intervention? This research involved adults who were Deaf from birth because their knowledge of LIS was richer and more complete , but the presence of performative signs and aspects can be seen in both Deaf adults and Deaf children. As far as the latter are concerned, we wonder whether it is sufficient to teach a correct morphosyntactic system to guarantee fluent use of the language or whether it is only the usage itself that can ensure the formal correctness of the language (Bickel 1980,550). The answer seems connected with a constant use, in the linguistic education of a Deaf child, of performatives such as interrogation, exclamation, and command, which address the use of the language toward more abstract and complex realities (Bickel 1980, 557). As Bickel suggests, it is appropriate to start children on the performative use of language, to make them capable of comprehending and posing questions (Bickel 1979, 129). Perhaps the teaching of the pragmatic elements of the interrogative form in LIS could present a solution to this problem and favor a spontaneous development of metalinguistic skills in Deaf children (Bickel 1989, 239). However, children have a global perception of sonorous elements (in the case of hearing children) or visual elements (in the case of Deaf children ) that constitute language; just as the hearing child grasps all those aspects that are not apparent in speech, so the Deaf child is fascinated by all nonmanual components of LIS (Bickel 1979, 125) that represent the intention implied in communication (Liddell 1980). Italian Sign Language is the language Deaf people learn spontaneously. It is part of their life and condition; it is the code Deaf persons tend to prefer over the vocal one, and the use of both of them develops more complete communicative skills (Battacchi and Montanini-Manfredi 1991, 27). With regard to this, I support the prospect of bilingualism of Deaf Aspects of the Interrogative Form in Italian Sign Language : 147 Deaf people pay particular attention to the nonverbal frame of what is expressed, independent of the linguistic code used, and, therefore, to all components of nonverbal communication. Sight, in a Deaf person, may serve as a channel for transmitting all information expressed in this way (Volterra 1991, 207). It must be considered that a Deaf person always perceives a question via the visual channel and that LIS possesses performative aspects capable of revealing the pragmatic intentions of the interlocutor (Poggi 1987, 326). At least one issue is strictly connected with my observation, data gathering , and conclusions: Can we consider the possibility of teaching and the use of self-awareness of pragmatic signs employed by LIS signers as a valid educational intervention? This research involved adults who were Deaf from birth because their knowledge of LIS was richer and more complete , but the presence of performative signs and aspects can be seen in both Deaf adults and Deaf children. As far as the latter are concerned, we wonder whether it is sufficient to teach a correct morphosyntactic system to guarantee fluent use of the language or whether it is only the usage itself that can ensure the formal correctness of the language (Bickel 1980,55°). The answer seems connected with a constant use, in the linguistic education of a Deaf child, of performatives such as interrogation, exclamation, and command, which address the use of the language toward more abstract and complex realities (Bickel 1980, 557). As Bickel suggests, it is appropriate to start children on the performative use of language, to make them capable of comprehending and posing questions (Bickel 1979, 129). Perhaps the teaching of the pragmatic elements of the interrogative form in LIS could present a solution to this problem and favor a spontaneous development of metalinguistic skills in Deaf children (Bickel 1989,239). However, children have...

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