Type of iconicity matters in the vocabulary development of signing children

Gerardo Ortega, Beyza Sumer, Asli Ozyurek

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Recent research on signed as well as spoken language shows that the iconic features of the target language might play a role in language development. Here, we ask further whether different types of iconic depictions modulate children’s preferences for certain types of sign-referent links during vocabulary development in sign language. Results from a picture description task indicate that lexical signs with 2 possible variants are used in different proportions by deaf signers from different age groups. While preschool and school-age children favored variants representing actions associated with their referent (e.g., a writing hand for the sign PEN), adults preferred variants representing the perceptual features of those objects (e.g., upward index finger representing a thin, elongated object for the sign PEN). Deaf parents interacting with their children, however, used action- and perceptual-based variants in equal proportion and favored action variants more than adults signing to other adults. We propose that when children are confronted with 2 variants for the same concept, they initially prefer action-based variants because they give them the opportunity to link a linguistic label to familiar schemas linked to their action/motor experiences. Our results echo findings showing a bias for action-based depictions in the development of iconic co-speech gestures suggesting a modality bias for such representations during development.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)89-99
Number of pages11
JournalDevelopmental Psychology
Volume53
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2017

Keywords

  • sign language
  • deafness
  • Language development

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