The Relationship between Text and Image on Literary Productions in Libras

This article describes the relationship between text and image in literature in Brazilian Sign Language (Libras). We selected different literary works that exploit visual devices through technological resources, filming techniques/video editing, and SignWriting. Based on the work of authors such as Pimenta (2013) and Machado (2013), we observed the influence of cinematographic language and paralinguistic aids on the visual impact of these works. We used Hoek's (2006) theory on the relationship between image and text to analyze the literary pieces through the categories of separability, self-sufficiency, and multitextuality; and the discourse was categorized into multimedial, mixed, syncretic, and imagelike text. We conclude that Brazilian Sign Language has a rich literature and is efficient in exploiting visuality, and that the use of technological aids enables artists to maximize this efficiency.