Abordagem ecológica e emergência de classificadores na Libras

This qualitative-interpretive research investigates the emergence of classifiers (CL) by considering them as linguistic affordances in Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) communicative interactions. In order to achieve this goal, we resort to the ecological approach to analyze and discuss six CLs (descriptive, specifier, semantic, instrumental, locative and plural) used in a video produced by a deaf person. The results show that, although the CLs express different degrees of iconicity in their emergencies, the iconicity of these morphemes may allow a better understanding of this internal structural resource of the sign languages (SL). This finding is a direct consequence of CLs (as discussed in this research) being linguistic affordances in the LS use practices. Keywords: ecological approach, linguistic affordance, Libras, classifiers.