Skip to content Skip to navigation
University of Warwick
  • Study
  • |
  • Research
  • |
  • Business
  • |
  • Alumni
  • |
  • News
  • |
  • About

University of Warwick
Publications service & WRAP

Highlight your research

  • WRAP
    • Home
    • Search WRAP
    • Browse by Warwick Author
    • Browse WRAP by Year
    • Browse WRAP by Subject
    • Browse WRAP by Department
    • Browse WRAP by Funder
    • Browse Theses by Department
  • Publications Service
    • Home
    • Search Publications Service
    • Browse by Warwick Author
    • Browse Publications service by Year
    • Browse Publications service by Subject
    • Browse Publications service by Department
    • Browse Publications service by Funder
  • Help & Advice
University of Warwick

The Library

  • Login
  • Admin

Children creating core properties of language : evidence from an emerging sign language in Nicaragua

Tools
- Tools
+ Tools

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 ISSN 0036-8075.

[img]
Preview
PDF
WRAP_Senghas_Ms.pdf - Accepted Version - Requires a PDF viewer.

Download (375Kb) | Preview
[img]
Preview
PDF
Senghas_Fig1.pdf - Supplemental Material - Requires a PDF viewer.

Download (431Kb) | Preview
[img]
Preview
PDF
Senghas_SOM.pdf - Supplemental Material - Requires a PDF viewer.

Download (54Kb) | Preview
[img] Video (QuickTime)
1100199S1.mov - Supplemental Material

Download (1973Kb)
[img] Video (QuickTime)
1100199S2.mov - Supplemental Material

Download (2592Kb)
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1100199

Request Changes to record.

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
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
P Language and Literature > P Philology. Linguistics
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:
DateEvent
17 September 2004Published
Volume: Volume 305
Number: Number 5691
Page Range: pp. 1779-1782
DOI: 10.1126/science.1100199
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Date of first compliant deposit: 29 December 2015
Date of first compliant Open Access: 29 December 2015
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)

Request changes or add full text files to a record

Repository staff actions (login required)

View Item View Item

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics

twitter

Email us: wrap@warwick.ac.uk
Contact Details
About Us