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Cross-modal translation priming and iconicity effects in deaf signers and hearing learners of American Sign Language

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2020

Megan Mott ,
Katherine J. Midgley ,
Phillip J. Holcomb  and
Karen Emmorey
Megan Mott
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, San Diego State University
Katherine J. Midgley
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, San Diego State University
Phillip J. Holcomb
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, San Diego State University
Karen Emmorey*
Affiliation:
School of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, San Diego State University
*
Address for correspondence: Dr. Karen Emmorey, E-mail: kemmorey@sdsu.edu
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Abstract

This study used ERPs to a) assess the neural correlates of cross-linguistic, cross-modal translation priming in hearing beginning learners of American Sign Language (ASL) and deaf highly proficient signers and b) examine whether sign iconicity modulates these priming effects. Hearing learners exhibited translation priming for ASL signs preceded by English words (greater negativity for unrelated than translation primes) later in the ERP waveform than deaf signers and exhibited earlier and greater priming for iconic than non-iconic signs. Iconicity did not modulate translation priming effects either behaviorally or in the ERPs for deaf signers (except in a 800–1000 ms time window). Because deaf signers showed early translation priming effects (beginning at 400ms-600ms), we suggest that iconicity did not facilitate lexical access, but deaf signers may have recognized sign iconicity later in processing. Overall, the results indicate that iconicity speeds lexical access for L2 sign language learners, but not for proficient signers.

Keywords

translation recognitionsign languageiconicitylanguage learning
Type
Research Article
Information
Bilingualism: Language and Cognition , Volume 23 , Issue 5 , November 2020 , pp. 1032 - 1044
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2020

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