The challenges of viewpoint-taking when learning a sign language: Data from the ‘frog story’ in British Sign Language

Gulamani, Sannah; Marshall, Chloë; Morgan, Gary

doi:10.1177/0267658320906855

Cited by 15 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 39 publications

(68 reference statements)

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“…The spatial structure of sign languages is another characteristic that the research body has identified as difficult to acquire for M2 learners (e.g., McKee and McKee, 1992;Ferrara and Nilsson, 2017;Shield and Meier, 2018;Boers-Visker, 2020;Gulamani et al, 2020). The space in front of the body can be used in a range of ways, not only for articulating lexical signs but also for grammatical and discourse purposes (Perniss, 2012;Boers-Visker, 2020).…”

Section: Sign Second Language Acquisition (Ssla)mentioning

confidence: 99%

L2M1 and L2M2 Acquisition of Sign Lexicon: The Impact of Multimodality on the Sign Second Language Acquisition

Schönström

Holmström

2022

Front. Psychol.

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In second language research, the concept of cross-linguistic influence or transfer has frequently been used to describe the interaction between the first language (L1) and second language (L2) in the L2 acquisition process. However, less is known about the L2 acquisition of a sign language in general and specifically the differences in the acquisition process of L2M2 learners (learners learning a sign language for the first time) and L2M1 learners (signers learning another sign language) from a multimodal perspective. Our study explores the influence of modality knowledge on learning Swedish Sign Language through a descriptive analysis of the sign lexicon in narratives produced by L2M1 and L2M2 learners, respectively. A descriptive mixed-methods framework was used to analyze narratives of adult L2M1 (n = 9) and L2M2 learners (n = 15), with a focus on sign lexicon, i.e., use and distribution of the sign types such as lexical signs, depicting signs (classifier predicates), fingerspelling, pointing, and gestures. The number and distribution of the signs are later compared between the groups. In addition, a comparison with a control group consisting of L1 signers (n = 9) is provided. The results suggest that L2M2 learners exhibit cross-modal cross-linguistic transfer from Swedish (through higher usage of lexical signs and fingerspelling). L2M1 learners exhibits same-modal cross-linguistic transfer from L1 sign languages (through higher usage of depicting signs and use of signs from L1 sign language and international signs). The study suggests that it is harder for L2M2 learners to acquire the modality-specific lexicon, despite possible underlying gestural knowledge. Furthermore, the study suggests that L2M1 learners’ access to modality-specific knowledge, overlapping access to gestural knowledge and iconicity, facilitates faster L2 lexical acquisition, which is discussed from the perspective of linguistic relativity (including modality) and its role in sign L2 acquisition.

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Section: Sign Second Language Acquisition (Ssla)mentioning

confidence: 99%

L2M1 and L2M2 Acquisition of Sign Lexicon: The Impact of Multimodality on the Sign Second Language Acquisition

Schönström

Holmström

2022

Front. Psychol.

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“…Earlier research has also looked at the use of viewpoints in L2 signers. Gulamani et al (2020) investigated the production of viewpoints in intermediate L2 learners of BSL in comparison to L1 signers. They found that character viewpoint was less used in L2 learners and concluded that character viewpoint was harder than observer viewpoint to learn.…”

Section: Sl-specific Structuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sign languages and second language acquisition research: An introduction

Schönström¹

2021

Journal of the European Second Language Association

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In recent years there has been a growing interest in sign second language acquisition (SSLA). However, research in this area is sparse. As signed and spoken languages are expressed in different modalities, there is a great potential for broadening our understanding of the mechanisms and the acquisition processes of learning a (second) language through SSLA research. In addition, the application of existing SLA knowledge to sign languages can bring new insights into the generalizability of SLA theories and descriptions, to see whether they hold true for sign languages. In this paper I give a brief overview of sign language and SSLA research, together with insights from the research on iconicity and gestures and its role for SSLA, including examples from my own studies on L2 signers. The paper concludes with a discussion of both the potential and challenges of combining sign language and SLA research, providing some notes towards directions for future research.

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“…To date, previous research has focused on articulation/phonological studies regarding the learning of an SL as an L2, specifically with regard to American Sign Language (Mirus, Rathmann & Meier 2001;Rosen 2004;Bochner et al 2011), but also, to some extent, British Sign Language (Ortega 2013). Furthermore, some single studies have looked at L2 acquisition of characteristic sign language structures such as depicting signs/classifier constructions (Marshall & Morgan 2015) and viewpoints of BSL (Gulamani, Marshall & Morgan 2020), and use of spatial constructions in NTS (Ferrara & Nilsson 2017). The mouth actions of hearing L2 sign language learners have so far not been studied.…”

Section: The Status Of Research On L2 Sign Languages and Mouth Actionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use and acquisition of mouth actions in L2 sign language learners

Mesch

Schönström

2020

SL&L

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This article deals with L2 acquisition of a sign language, examining in particular the use and acquisition of non-manual mouth actions performed by L2 learners of Swedish Sign Language. Based on longitudinal data from an L2 learner corpus, we describe the distribution, frequency, and spreading patterns of mouth actions in sixteen L2 learners at two time points. The data are compared with nine signers of an L1 control group. The results reveal some differences in the use of mouth actions between the groups. The results are specifically related to the category of mouthing borrowed from spoken Swedish. L2 signers show an increased use of mouthing compared to L1 signers. Conversely, L1 signers exhibit an increased use of reduced mouthing compared with L2 signers. We also observe an increase of adverbial mouth gestures within the L2 group. The results are discussed in relation to previous findings, and within the framework of cross-linguistic influence.

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The challenges of viewpoint-taking when learning a sign language: Data from the ‘frog story’ in British Sign Language

Cited by 15 publications

References 39 publications

L2M1 and L2M2 Acquisition of Sign Lexicon: The Impact of Multimodality on the Sign Second Language Acquisition

L2M1 and L2M2 Acquisition of Sign Lexicon: The Impact of Multimodality on the Sign Second Language Acquisition

Sign languages and second language acquisition research: An introduction

Use and acquisition of mouth actions in L2 sign language learners

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