Hofweber, Julia Elisabeth;
Aumonier, Lizzy;
Janke, Vikki;
Gullberg, Marianne;
Marshall, Chloe;
(2022)
Breaking Into Language in a New Modality: The Role of Input and Individual Differences in Recognising Signs.
Frontiers in Psychology
, 13
, Article 895880. 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.895880.
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Abstract
A key challenge when learning language in naturalistic circumstances is to extract linguistic information from a continuous stream of speech. This study investigates the predictors of such implicit learning among adults exposed to a new language in a new modality (a sign language). Sign-naïve participants (N = 93; British English speakers) were shown a 4-min weather forecast in Swedish Sign Language. Subsequently, we tested their ability to recognise 22 target sign forms that had been viewed in the forecast, amongst 44 distractor signs that had not been viewed. The target items differed in their occurrence frequency in the forecast and in their degree of iconicity. The results revealed that both frequency and iconicity facilitated recognition of target signs cumulatively. The adult mechanism for language learning thus operates similarly on sign and spoken languages as regards frequency, but also exploits modality-salient properties, for example iconicity for sign languages. Individual differences in cognitive skills and language learning background did not predict recognition. The properties of the input thus influenced adults’ language learning abilities at first exposure more than individual differences.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Breaking Into Language in a New Modality: The Role of Input and Individual Differences in Recognising Signs |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.895880 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.895880 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © 2022 Hofweber, Aumonier, Janke, Gullberg and Marshall. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms. |
| Keywords: | second language learning, iconicity, sign languages, implicit learning, first exposure, modality |
| UCL classification: | UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Psychology and Human Development UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education UCL |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10148851 |
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