Iconicity and Sign Lexical Acquisition: A Review
The study of iconicity, defined as the direct relationship between a linguistic form and its referent, has gained momentum in recent years across a wide range of disciplines. In the spoken modality, there is abundant evidence showing that iconicity is a key factor that facilitates language acquisiti...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2017-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01280/full |
| _version_ | 1811232013844217856 |
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| author | Gerardo Ortega Gerardo Ortega |
| author_facet | Gerardo Ortega Gerardo Ortega |
| author_sort | Gerardo Ortega |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The study of iconicity, defined as the direct relationship between a linguistic form and its referent, has gained momentum in recent years across a wide range of disciplines. In the spoken modality, there is abundant evidence showing that iconicity is a key factor that facilitates language acquisition. However, when we look at sign languages, which excel in the prevalence of iconic structures, there is a more mixed picture, with some studies showing a positive effect and others showing a null or negative effect. In an attempt to reconcile the existing evidence the present review presents a critical overview of the literature on the acquisition of a sign language as first (L1) and second (L2) language and points at some factor that may be the source of disagreement. Regarding sign L1 acquisition, the contradicting findings may relate to iconicity being defined in a very broad sense when a more fine-grained operationalisation might reveal an effect in sign learning. Regarding sign L2 acquisition, evidence shows that there is a clear dissociation in the effect of iconicity in that it facilitates conceptual-semantic aspects of sign learning but hinders the acquisition of the exact phonological form of signs. It will be argued that when we consider the gradient nature of iconicity and that signs consist of a phonological form attached to a meaning we can discern how iconicity impacts sign learning in positive and negative ways. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T10:54:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f2b52080ac0e4fe88e130d1cec84358e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T10:54:50Z |
| publishDate | 2017-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-f2b52080ac0e4fe88e130d1cec84358e2022-12-22T03:36:07ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782017-08-01810.3389/fpsyg.2017.01280210504Iconicity and Sign Lexical Acquisition: A ReviewGerardo Ortega0Gerardo Ortega1Centre for Language Studies, Radboud UniversityNijmegen, NetherlandsMax Planck Institute for PsycholinguisticsNijmegen, NetherlandsThe study of iconicity, defined as the direct relationship between a linguistic form and its referent, has gained momentum in recent years across a wide range of disciplines. In the spoken modality, there is abundant evidence showing that iconicity is a key factor that facilitates language acquisition. However, when we look at sign languages, which excel in the prevalence of iconic structures, there is a more mixed picture, with some studies showing a positive effect and others showing a null or negative effect. In an attempt to reconcile the existing evidence the present review presents a critical overview of the literature on the acquisition of a sign language as first (L1) and second (L2) language and points at some factor that may be the source of disagreement. Regarding sign L1 acquisition, the contradicting findings may relate to iconicity being defined in a very broad sense when a more fine-grained operationalisation might reveal an effect in sign learning. Regarding sign L2 acquisition, evidence shows that there is a clear dissociation in the effect of iconicity in that it facilitates conceptual-semantic aspects of sign learning but hinders the acquisition of the exact phonological form of signs. It will be argued that when we consider the gradient nature of iconicity and that signs consist of a phonological form attached to a meaning we can discern how iconicity impacts sign learning in positive and negative ways.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01280/fulliconicitysign languageL1 acquisitionL2 acquisitiondegree of iconicityform-meaning |
| spellingShingle | Gerardo Ortega Gerardo Ortega Iconicity and Sign Lexical Acquisition: A Review Frontiers in Psychology iconicity sign language L1 acquisition L2 acquisition degree of iconicity form-meaning |
| title | Iconicity and Sign Lexical Acquisition: A Review |
| title_full | Iconicity and Sign Lexical Acquisition: A Review |
| title_fullStr | Iconicity and Sign Lexical Acquisition: A Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Iconicity and Sign Lexical Acquisition: A Review |
| title_short | Iconicity and Sign Lexical Acquisition: A Review |
| title_sort | iconicity and sign lexical acquisition a review |
| topic | iconicity sign language L1 acquisition L2 acquisition degree of iconicity form-meaning |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01280/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gerardoortega iconicityandsignlexicalacquisitionareview AT gerardoortega iconicityandsignlexicalacquisitionareview |