Which of the following is an example of a Locative Verb?

• A. Hurt signed on the arm
• B. CALL-BY-PHONE
• C. UPRIGHT-PERSON-WALK-TO
• D. SMALL-CYLINDRICAL-SURFACE-EXTEND-TO

Answer: (A)

Locative verbs are signs that include where the action happens as part of the sign itself, using placement in space or on the body to convey location without needing a separate locative word.

Hurt signed on the arm fits this: the sign for hurt is produced on the arm, anchoring the action to that specific location. The location is integrated into the verb’s meaning, so you understand that the hurt is occurring on that body part.

The other options don’t embed location in the verb itself. CALL-BY-PHONE expresses the action of calling by phone as a standard sign, not a locative form anchored to a location. The upright-person-walk-to phrase describes movement toward a destination but uses multiple signs to convey it rather than a single locative verb with built-in spatial placement. The small-cylindrical-surface-extend-to construction relies on classifiers to describe an object and its movement toward something, not a verb that inherently encodes a specific location of the action.