W8 - Iconicity and gestures Flashcards
(30 cards)
What is iconicity in language?
A meaningful link between experience and linguistic form.
Name two forms of iconicity found in spoken and signed languages.
Onomatopoeia and gestures.
How does iconicity influence language learning?
It facilitates acquisition by linking form and meaning.
What is the main distinction between iconicity and arbitrariness in language?
Iconicity links form and meaning; arbitrariness does not.
What did Vinson et al. (2008) use to measure iconicity effects on language processing?
A picture-naming task.
Which model did Vinson et al. (2008) use for analyzing data?
Mixed, crossed random effects model.
What were the predictors in the analysis of iconicity’s effect on language processing?
Age of acquisition, familiarity, iconicity, imageability, concreteness, phonological complexity, group.
What effect does iconicity have on signers’ response times?
Faster response times.
What phenomenon links round names like ‘Bamu’ to round shapes?
Bouba-kiki effect.
Which study showed children’s sensitivity to sound-shape associations?
Maurer et al. (2006).
How does iconicity assist sign language acquisition in children?
Predicts stronger comprehension and production.
What two age groups show differing impacts of iconicity in language acquisition?
11–20 months vs. 21–30 months.
Which modalities engage perceptual-motor systems due to iconicity?
Gestures and prosody.
What are beat gestures?
Rhythmic movements aligned with speech for emphasis.
Define iconic and metaphoric gestures.
Iconic: Represent objects/actions; Metaphoric: Represent abstract ideas.
What distinguishes pantomimes from other gestures?
They imitate actions without speech.
What are emblems in the context of gestures?
Conventional gestures with fixed cultural meanings.
How do gestures complement verbal communication?
By enhancing or adding to spoken content.
Why do people gesture even when unseen?
For cognitive benefits and lexical access.
What is a significant finding of Iverson & Goldin-Meadow (1998)?
Blind individuals gesture similarly to sighted ones.
What happens when gestures are restricted during communication?
Difficulty describing spatial language increases.
What are home sign systems?
Gestural systems by deaf children without formal language input.
List one resilient property of home sign systems.
Development of a consistent lexicon.
What is syntactic structure in home sign systems?
Combining gestures into sentences.
