Iconicity and Gesture Jointly Facilitate Learning of Second Language Signs at First Exposure in Hearing Nonsigners

Dilay Z. Karadöller; David Peeters; Francie Manhardt; Aslı Özyürek; Gerardo Ortega

doi:10.1111/lang.12636

Iconicity and Gesture Jointly Facilitate Learning of Second Language Signs at First Exposure in Hearing Nonsigners

Dilay Z. Karadöller^*, David Peeters, Francie Manhardt, Aslı Özyürek, Gerardo Ortega^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

English Language and Linguistics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

When learning spoken second language (L2), words overlapping in form and meaning with one's native language (L1) help break into the new language. When nonsigning speakers learn a sign language as L2, such overlaps are absent because of the modality differences (L1: speech, L2: sign). In such cases, nonsigning speakers might use iconic form‐meaning mappings in signs or their own gestural experience as gateways into the to‐be‐acquired sign language. In this study, we investigated how both these phenomena may contribute jointly to the acquisition of sign language vocabulary by hearing nonsigners. Participants were presented with three types of signs in the Sign Language of the Netherlands (NGT): arbitrary signs, iconic signs with high or low gesture overlap. Signs that were both iconic and highly overlapping with gestures boosted learning most at first exposure, and this effect remained the day after. Findings highlight the influence of modality‐specific attributes supporting the acquisition of a signed lexicon.

Original language	English
Number of pages	33
Journal	Language Learning
Early online date	10 Apr 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/lang.12636
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 10 Apr 2024

Bibliographical note

Acknowledgments
This study was possible thanks to a VENI grant awarded to Gerardo Ortega (275-890-21) and a VICI grant awarded to Aslı Özyürek (277-70-013) by the Dutch Science Foundation. We are also indebted to Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics for allowing the use of their premises for data collection and Max Planck Gesselschaft. This study received ethical approval from the Ethics Assessment Committee (EAC) of the Faculty of Arts of Radboud University (MvB14U.015319). We would like to express our gratitude to Carla Pol, Yeşim Özüer, Bianca Thomsen, and Birgit Knudsen for their support in data collection and coding of the signed videos. We are grateful to Tom Uittenbogert for his assistance to select and film the stimulus materials.

Open access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.

Keywords

sign language
gesture
iconicity
L2 acquisition

Access to Document

10.1111/lang.12636Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

KaradöllerD2024Iconicity.pdfFinal published version, 1.62 MBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

From icon to abstraction in sign language: how iconicity shapes the lexicon in the visual modality
Ortega, G.
Arts and Humanities Research Council
1/02/20 → 31/12/23
Project: Research Councils

Cite this

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title = "Iconicity and Gesture Jointly Facilitate Learning of Second Language Signs at First Exposure in Hearing Nonsigners",

abstract = "When learning spoken second language (L2), words overlapping in form and meaning with one's native language (L1) help break into the new language. When nonsigning speakers learn a sign language as L2, such overlaps are absent because of the modality differences (L1: speech, L2: sign). In such cases, nonsigning speakers might use iconic form‐meaning mappings in signs or their own gestural experience as gateways into the to‐be‐acquired sign language. In this study, we investigated how both these phenomena may contribute jointly to the acquisition of sign language vocabulary by hearing nonsigners. Participants were presented with three types of signs in the Sign Language of the Netherlands (NGT): arbitrary signs, iconic signs with high or low gesture overlap. Signs that were both iconic and highly overlapping with gestures boosted learning most at first exposure, and this effect remained the day after. Findings highlight the influence of modality‐specific attributes supporting the acquisition of a signed lexicon.",

keywords = "sign language, gesture, iconicity, L2 acquisition",

author = "Karad{\"o}ller, {Dilay Z.} and David Peeters and Francie Manhardt and Aslı {\"O}zy{\"u}rek and Gerardo Ortega",

note = "Acknowledgments This study was possible thanks to a VENI grant awarded to Gerardo Ortega (275-890-21) and a VICI grant awarded to Aslı {\"O}zy{\"u}rek (277-70-013) by the Dutch Science Foundation. We are also indebted to Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics for allowing the use of their premises for data collection and Max Planck Gesselschaft. This study received ethical approval from the Ethics Assessment Committee (EAC) of the Faculty of Arts of Radboud University (MvB14U.015319). We would like to express our gratitude to Carla Pol, Ye{\c s}im {\"O}z{\"u}er, Bianca Thomsen, and Birgit Knudsen for their support in data collection and coding of the signed videos. We are grateful to Tom Uittenbogert for his assistance to select and film the stimulus materials. Open access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.",

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AU - Ortega, Gerardo

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N2 - When learning spoken second language (L2), words overlapping in form and meaning with one's native language (L1) help break into the new language. When nonsigning speakers learn a sign language as L2, such overlaps are absent because of the modality differences (L1: speech, L2: sign). In such cases, nonsigning speakers might use iconic form‐meaning mappings in signs or their own gestural experience as gateways into the to‐be‐acquired sign language. In this study, we investigated how both these phenomena may contribute jointly to the acquisition of sign language vocabulary by hearing nonsigners. Participants were presented with three types of signs in the Sign Language of the Netherlands (NGT): arbitrary signs, iconic signs with high or low gesture overlap. Signs that were both iconic and highly overlapping with gestures boosted learning most at first exposure, and this effect remained the day after. Findings highlight the influence of modality‐specific attributes supporting the acquisition of a signed lexicon.

AB - When learning spoken second language (L2), words overlapping in form and meaning with one's native language (L1) help break into the new language. When nonsigning speakers learn a sign language as L2, such overlaps are absent because of the modality differences (L1: speech, L2: sign). In such cases, nonsigning speakers might use iconic form‐meaning mappings in signs or their own gestural experience as gateways into the to‐be‐acquired sign language. In this study, we investigated how both these phenomena may contribute jointly to the acquisition of sign language vocabulary by hearing nonsigners. Participants were presented with three types of signs in the Sign Language of the Netherlands (NGT): arbitrary signs, iconic signs with high or low gesture overlap. Signs that were both iconic and highly overlapping with gestures boosted learning most at first exposure, and this effect remained the day after. Findings highlight the influence of modality‐specific attributes supporting the acquisition of a signed lexicon.

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Iconicity and Gesture Jointly Facilitate Learning of Second Language Signs at First Exposure in Hearing Nonsigners

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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From icon to abstraction in sign language: how iconicity shapes the lexicon in the visual modality

Cite this