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Children creating core properties of language : evidence from an emerging sign language in Nicaragua
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Senghas, Ann, Kita, Sotaro and Özyürek, Asli (2004) Children creating core properties of language : evidence from an emerging sign language in Nicaragua. Science, Volume 305 (Number 5691). pp. 1779-1782. doi:10.1126/science.1100199
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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1100199
Abstract
A new sign language has been created by deaf Nicaraguans over the past 35 years, providing an opportunity to observe the inception of universal hallmarks of language. The present study shows that children initially creating the language began analyzing complex events into basic elements, and sequencing these elements into hierarchically structured expressions, following principles not observed in gestures accompanying speech in the surrounding language. Successive cohorts of learners extended this procedure, transforming Nicaraguan signing from its early gestural form into a linguistic system. We propose that this early segmentation and recombination reflect mechanisms with which children learn, and thereby perpetuate, language. Thus, children naturally possess learning abilities capable of giving language its fundamental structure.
| Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||
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| Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology P Language and Literature > P Philology. Linguistics |
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| Divisions: | Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Psychology | ||||
| Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Nicaraguan Sign Language, Language acquisition | ||||
| Journal or Publication Title: | Science | ||||
| Publisher: | American Association for the Advancement of Science | ||||
| ISSN: | 0036-8075 | ||||
| Official Date: | 17 September 2004 | ||||
| Dates: |
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| Volume: | Volume 305 | ||||
| Number: | Number 5691 | ||||
| Page Range: | pp. 1779-1782 | ||||
| DOI: | 10.1126/science.1100199 | ||||
| Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||
| Publication Status: | Published | ||||
| Funder: | Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek [Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research] (NWO), National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (U.S.) (NIDCD), Türkiye Bilimler Akademisi [Turkish Academy of Sciences] (TAS) | ||||
| Grant number: | 051.02.040 (NWO ), R01 DC00491 (NIDCD), R01 DC05407 (NIDCD), HAO/TUBA-GEBIP/2001-2-16 (TAS) |
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