From gesture to Sign? : An exploration of the effects of communicative pressure, interaction and time on the process of conventionalization
Janke, Vikki ; Aumonier, Lizzy ; Hofweber, Julia ; Gullberg, Marianne LU
and Marshall, Chloe
(2024)
In Linguistics
- Abstract
- This study explored how non-signers exploit their gestural repertoire during a process of handshape conventionalisation. We examined how communicative context, interaction and time affect the transition from iconically-motivated representations to linguistically-organised, generalised forms. 100 non-signers undertook a silent gesture-elicitation task, describing pictures in one of four conditions: (A) in isolation; (B) with a passive recipient tasked with identifying the objects gestured; (C) with an interlocutor, sharing addressor/addressee roles; (D) with a confederate, sharing addressor/addressee roles, where the confederate restricted her handshapes to four. Analyses focused on whether participants used their hands productively... (More)
- This study explored how non-signers exploit their gestural repertoire during a process of handshape conventionalisation. We examined how communicative context, interaction and time affect the transition from iconically-motivated representations to linguistically-organised, generalised forms. 100 non-signers undertook a silent gesture-elicitation task, describing pictures in one of four conditions: (A) in isolation; (B) with a passive recipient tasked with identifying the objects gestured; (C) with an interlocutor, sharing addressor/addressee roles; (D) with a confederate, sharing addressor/addressee roles, where the confederate restricted her handshapes to four. Analyses focused on whether participants used their hands productively (proportion of ‘hand-as-object’ responses), and whether they generalised handshapes to similarly shaped but different objects (handshape range). High communicative pressure and interaction (C, D) generated the highest proportion of hand-as-object representations. The condition lacking these, (A), generated the smallest handshape range. Results did not change over time. At this incipient stage, individuals exploit their gestural repertoire productively, intent on depicting object characteristics accurately. Communicative pressure and interaction spur this exploratory process. However, they do not yet generalise their handshapes, a development requiring a loosening of the iconic mapping between symbol and referent. This aspect of conventionalisation needs time and might be more likely to emerge in isolation. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/18251bd4-d6eb-457f-97d3-999ea53f92fd
- author
- Janke, Vikki
; Aumonier, Lizzy
; Hofweber, Julia
; Gullberg, Marianne
LU
and Marshall, Chloe
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-02-21
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- in press
- subject
- keywords
- sign lanuage, silent gesture, conventionalisation, language production, handshape, iconicity
- in
- Linguistics
- publisher
- De Gruyter
- ISSN
- 1613-396X
- project
- Breaking into sign language: the role of input and individual differences
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 18251bd4-d6eb-457f-97d3-999ea53f92fd
- date added to LUP
- 2024-02-22 21:20:14
- date last changed
- 2024-03-05 14:41:04
@article{18251bd4-d6eb-457f-97d3-999ea53f92fd,
abstract = {{This study explored how non-signers exploit their gestural repertoire during a process of handshape conventionalisation. We examined how communicative context, interaction and time affect the transition from iconically-motivated representations to linguistically-organised, generalised forms. 100 non-signers undertook a silent gesture-elicitation task, describing pictures in one of four conditions: (A) in isolation; (B) with a passive recipient tasked with identifying the objects gestured; (C) with an interlocutor, sharing addressor/addressee roles; (D) with a confederate, sharing addressor/addressee roles, where the confederate restricted her handshapes to four. Analyses focused on whether participants used their hands productively (proportion of ‘hand-as-object’ responses), and whether they generalised handshapes to similarly shaped but different objects (handshape range). High communicative pressure and interaction (C, D) generated the highest proportion of hand-as-object representations. The condition lacking these, (A), generated the smallest handshape range. Results did not change over time. At this incipient stage, individuals exploit their gestural repertoire productively, intent on depicting object characteristics accurately. Communicative pressure and interaction spur this exploratory process. However, they do not yet generalise their handshapes, a development requiring a loosening of the iconic mapping between symbol and referent. This aspect of conventionalisation needs time and might be more likely to emerge in isolation.}},
author = {{Janke, Vikki and Aumonier, Lizzy and Hofweber, Julia and Gullberg, Marianne and Marshall, Chloe}},
issn = {{1613-396X}},
keywords = {{sign lanuage; silent gesture; conventionalisation; language production; handshape; iconicity}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{02}},
publisher = {{De Gruyter}},
series = {{Linguistics}},
title = {{From gesture to Sign? : An exploration of the effects of communicative pressure, interaction and time on the process of conventionalization}},
year = {{2024}},
}