The emergence of systematic argument distinctions in artificial sign languages

Word order is a key property by which languages indicate the relationship between a predicate and its arguments. However, sign languages use a number of other modality-specific tools in addition to word order such as spatial agreement, which has been likened to verbal agreement in spoken languages,...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Culbertson, J. (Author), Kirby, S. (Author), Motamedi, Y. (Author), Schouwstra, M. (Author), Smith, K. (Author)
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Oxford University Press 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:View Fulltext in Publisher
LEADER 02100nam a2200241Ia 4500
001 10.1093-jole-lzab002
008 220427s2021 CNT 000 0 und d
020 |a 2058458X (ISSN) 
245 1 0 |a The emergence of systematic argument distinctions in artificial sign languages 
260 0 |b Oxford University Press  |c 2021 
856 |z View Fulltext in Publisher  |u https://doi.org/10.1093/jole/lzab002 
520 3 |a Word order is a key property by which languages indicate the relationship between a predicate and its arguments. However, sign languages use a number of other modality-specific tools in addition to word order such as spatial agreement, which has been likened to verbal agreement in spoken languages, and role shift, where the signer takes on characteristics of propositional agents. In particular, data from emerging sign languages suggest that, though some use of a conventional word order can appear within a few generations, systematic spatial modulation as a grammatical feature takes time to develop. We experimentally examine the emergence of systematic argument marking beyond word order, investigating how artificial gestural systems evolve over generations of participants in the lab. We find that participants converge on different strategies to disambiguate clause arguments, which become more consistent through the use and transmission of gestures; in some cases, this leads to conventionalized iconic spatial contrasts, comparable to those found in natural sign languages. We discuss how our results connect with theoretical issues surrounding the analysis of spatial agreement and role shift in established and newly emerging sign languages, and the possible mechanisms behind its evolution. © The Author(s) 2021. 
650 0 4 |a Communication 
650 0 4 |a Iterated learning 
650 0 4 |a Sign language 
650 0 4 |a Silent gesture 
650 0 4 |a Spatial reference 
700 1 |a Culbertson, J.  |e author 
700 1 |a Kirby, S.  |e author 
700 1 |a Motamedi, Y.  |e author 
700 1 |a Schouwstra, M.  |e author 
700 1 |a Smith, K.  |e author 
773 |t Journal of Language Evolution