Morford M, Goldin-Meadow S
University of Chicago, IL 60637.
J Child Lang. 1992 Oct;19(3):559-80. doi: 10.1017/s0305000900011569.
This study explores the role that gesture plays in the earliest stages of language learning. We describe how one-word speakers use gesture in combination with speech in their spontaneous communications, and interpret gesture presented in combination with speech in an experimental situation. Forty one-word speakers (ages 1;2.22 to 2;4.6) were videotaped in a free-play session which provided data on the child's spontaneous gesture and speech production. The children were also given a comprehension task in which the presence and absence of gesture were systematically varied in relation to speech. We found that (1) all of the children spontaneously produced gestures in combination with speech, and (2) all of the children were able to understand gesture when it was presented in combination with speech, not only when the gesture was redundant with speech but also when the gesture substituted for speech. These data suggest that, even at this young age, gesture naturally forms an integrated system with speech in both production and comprehension.
本研究探讨了手势在语言学习最早阶段所起的作用。我们描述了单词语阶段的儿童在自发交流中如何将手势与言语结合使用，并解读在实验情境中与言语结合呈现的手势。对40名单词语阶段的儿童（年龄在1岁2个月22天至2岁4个月6天之间）在自由玩耍环节进行录像，该环节提供了有关儿童自发手势和言语表达的数据。这些儿童还接受了一项理解任务，在该任务中，手势的呈现与否与言语系统地变化。我们发现：（1）所有儿童都自发地将手势与言语结合起来；（2）所有儿童在手势与言语结合呈现时都能够理解手势，不仅当手势与言语冗余时如此，而且当手势替代言语时也是如此。这些数据表明，即使在这个年幼的年龄段，手势在生成和理解方面都自然地与言语形成了一个整合系统。
