Schönström Krister, Holmström Ingela
Department of Linguistics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Front Psychol. 2022 Jun 10;13:896254. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.896254. eCollection 2022.
In second language research, the concept of cross-linguistic influence or transfer has frequently been used to describe the interaction between the first language (L1) and second language (L2) in the L2 acquisition process. However, less is known about the L2 acquisition of a sign language in general and specifically the differences in the acquisition process of L2M2 learners (learners learning a sign language for the first time) and L2M1 learners (signers learning another sign language) from a multimodal perspective. Our study explores the influence of modality knowledge on learning Swedish Sign Language through a descriptive analysis of the sign lexicon in narratives produced by L2M1 and L2M2 learners, respectively. A descriptive mixed-methods framework was used to analyze narratives of adult L2M1 ( = 9) and L2M2 learners ( = 15), with a focus on sign lexicon, i.e., use and distribution of the sign types such as lexical signs, depicting signs (classifier predicates), fingerspelling, pointing, and gestures. The number and distribution of the signs are later compared between the groups. In addition, a comparison with a control group consisting of L1 signers ( = 9) is provided. The results suggest that L2M2 learners exhibit cross-modal cross-linguistic transfer from Swedish (through higher usage of lexical signs and fingerspelling). L2M1 learners exhibits same-modal cross-linguistic transfer from L1 sign languages (through higher usage of depicting signs and use of signs from L1 sign language and international signs). The study suggests that it is harder for L2M2 learners to acquire the modality-specific lexicon, despite possible underlying gestural knowledge. Furthermore, the study suggests that L2M1 learners' access to modality-specific knowledge, overlapping access to gestural knowledge and iconicity, facilitates faster L2 lexical acquisition, which is discussed from the perspective of linguistic relativity (including modality) and its role in sign L2 acquisition.
在第二语言研究中，跨语言影响或迁移的概念经常被用来描述第一语言（L1）和第二语言（L2）在二语习得过程中的相互作用。然而，总体而言，对于手语的二语习得，尤其是从多模态角度来看，L2M2学习者（首次学习手语的学习者）和L2M1学习者（学习另一种手语的手语使用者）在习得过程中的差异了解较少。我们的研究通过分别对L2M1和L2M2学习者所生成叙述中的手语词汇进行描述性分析，探讨模态知识对学习瑞典手语的影响。采用描述性混合方法框架来分析成年L2M1学习者（n = 9）和L2M2学习者（n = 15）的叙述，重点关注手语词汇，即词汇手语、描绘性手语（分类谓词）、手指字母拼写、指示和手势等手语类型的使用和分布。随后比较两组之间手语的数量和分布情况。此外，还提供了与由L1手语使用者组成的对照组（n = 9）的比较。结果表明，L2M2学习者表现出从瑞典语的跨模态跨语言迁移（通过更高频率地使用词汇手语和手指字母拼写）。L2M1学习者表现出从L1手语的同模态跨语言迁移（通过更高频率地使用描绘性手语以及使用来自L1手语和国际手语的手语）。该研究表明，尽管可能存在潜在的手势知识，但L2M2学习者更难习得特定模态的词汇。此外，该研究表明，L2M1学习者对手势特定知识的获取、对手势知识和象似性的重叠获取，促进了二语词汇的更快习得，这从语言相对论（包括模态）及其在手语二语习得中的作用角度进行了讨论。
