Abstract
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - Jun 2019 |
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Iconic gestures serve as manual cognates in hearing second language learners of a sign language : An ERP study. / Ortega, Gerardo; Ozyurek, Asli; Peeters, David.
In: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 06.2019.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Iconic gestures serve as manual cognates in hearing second language learners of a sign language
T2 - An ERP study
AU - Ortega, Gerardo
AU - Ozyurek, Asli
AU - Peeters, David
PY - 2019/6
Y1 - 2019/6
N2 - When learning a second spoken language, cognates, words overlapping in form and meaning with one’s native language, help breaking into the language one wishes to acquire. But what happens when the to-be-acquired second language is a sign language? We tested whether hearing nonsigners rely on their gestural repertoire at first exposure to a sign language. Participants saw iconic signs with high and low overlap with the form of iconic gestures while electrophysiological brain activity was recorded. Upon first exposure, signs with low overlap with gestures elicited enhanced positive amplitude in the P3a component compared to signs with high overlap. This effect disappeared after a training session. We conclude that nonsigners generate expectations about the form of iconic signs never seen before based on their implicit knowledge of gestures, even without having to produce them. Learners thus draw from any available semiotic resources when acquiring a second language, and not only from their linguistic experience.
AB - When learning a second spoken language, cognates, words overlapping in form and meaning with one’s native language, help breaking into the language one wishes to acquire. But what happens when the to-be-acquired second language is a sign language? We tested whether hearing nonsigners rely on their gestural repertoire at first exposure to a sign language. Participants saw iconic signs with high and low overlap with the form of iconic gestures while electrophysiological brain activity was recorded. Upon first exposure, signs with low overlap with gestures elicited enhanced positive amplitude in the P3a component compared to signs with high overlap. This effect disappeared after a training session. We conclude that nonsigners generate expectations about the form of iconic signs never seen before based on their implicit knowledge of gestures, even without having to produce them. Learners thus draw from any available semiotic resources when acquiring a second language, and not only from their linguistic experience.
U2 - 10.1037/xlm0000729
DO - 10.1037/xlm0000729
M3 - Article
JO - Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition
JF - Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition
SN - 0278-7393
ER -