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Which aspects of visual motivation aid the implicit learning of signs at first exposure?

Hofweber, Julia ; Aumonier, Lizzy ; Janke, Vikki ; Gullberg, Marianne LU orcid and Marshall, Chloe (2023) In Language Learning 73(S1). p.33-63
Abstract
We investigated whether sign-naïve learners can infer and learn the meaning of signs after minimal exposure to continuous, naturalistic input in the form of a weather forecast in Swedish Sign Language. Participants were L1-English adults. Two experimental groups watched the forecast once (N=40) or twice (N=42); a control group did not (N=42). Participants were then asked to assign meaning to 22 target signs. We explored predictors of meaning assignment with respect to item occurrence frequency and three facets of visual-motivation: iconicity, transparency, and gesture similarity. Meaning assignment was enhanced by exposure and item frequency, thereby providing evidence for implicit language learning in a new modality, even under... (More)
We investigated whether sign-naïve learners can infer and learn the meaning of signs after minimal exposure to continuous, naturalistic input in the form of a weather forecast in Swedish Sign Language. Participants were L1-English adults. Two experimental groups watched the forecast once (N=40) or twice (N=42); a control group did not (N=42). Participants were then asked to assign meaning to 22 target signs. We explored predictors of meaning assignment with respect to item occurrence frequency and three facets of visual-motivation: iconicity, transparency, and gesture similarity. Meaning assignment was enhanced by exposure and item frequency, thereby providing evidence for implicit language learning in a new modality, even under challenging naturalistic conditions. Accuracy was also contingent upon iconicity and transparency, but not upon gesture similarity. Meaning assignment at first exposure is thus visually-motivated, although the overall low accuracy rates and further qualitative analyses suggest that visually-motivated meaning assignment is not always successful. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
implicit learning, sign language, iconicity, transparency, gesture, meaning
in
Language Learning
volume
73
issue
S1
pages
31 pages
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85165322492
ISSN
1467-9922
DOI
10.1111/lang.12587
project
Breaking into sign language: the role of input and individual differences
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ce365386-c118-4626-b29a-5f9100086652
date added to LUP
2023-03-30 17:34:39
date last changed
2024-01-09 15:47:32
@article{ce365386-c118-4626-b29a-5f9100086652,
  abstract     = {{We investigated whether sign-naïve learners can infer and learn the meaning of signs after minimal exposure to continuous, naturalistic input in the form of a weather forecast in Swedish Sign Language. Participants were L1-English adults. Two experimental groups watched the forecast once (N=40) or twice (N=42); a control group did not (N=42). Participants were then asked to assign meaning to 22 target signs. We explored predictors of meaning assignment with respect to item occurrence frequency and three facets of visual-motivation: iconicity, transparency, and gesture similarity. Meaning assignment was enhanced by exposure and item frequency, thereby providing evidence for implicit language learning in a new modality, even under challenging naturalistic conditions. Accuracy was also contingent upon iconicity and transparency, but not upon gesture similarity. Meaning assignment at first exposure is thus visually-motivated, although the overall low accuracy rates and further qualitative analyses suggest that visually-motivated meaning assignment is not always successful.}},
  author       = {{Hofweber, Julia and Aumonier, Lizzy and Janke, Vikki and Gullberg, Marianne and Marshall, Chloe}},
  issn         = {{1467-9922}},
  keywords     = {{implicit learning; sign language; iconicity; transparency; gesture; meaning}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  number       = {{S1}},
  pages        = {{33--63}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Language Learning}},
  title        = {{Which aspects of visual motivation aid the implicit learning of signs at first exposure?}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/lang.12587}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/lang.12587}},
  volume       = {{73}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}