Disentangling pantomime from early sign in a new sign language: window into language evolution research

Ana Mineiro; Inmaculada Concepción Báez-Montero; Mara Moita; Isabel Galhano-Rodrigues; Alexandre Castro-Caldas

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.640057

Disentangling pantomime from early sign in a new sign language: window into language evolution research

Ana Mineiro^*, Inmaculada Concepción Báez-Montero, Mara Moita, Isabel Galhano-Rodrigues, Alexandre Castro-Caldas

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

In this study, we aim to disentangle pantomime from early signs in a newly-born sign language: Sao Tome and Principe Sign Language. Our results show that within 2 years of their first contact with one another, a community of 100 participants interacting everyday was able to build a shared language. The growth of linguistic systematicity, which included a decrease in use of pantomime, reduction of the amplitude of signs and an increase in articulation economy, showcases a learning, and social interaction process that constitutes a continuum and not a cut-off system. The human cognitive system is endowed with mechanisms for symbolization that allow the process of arbitrariness to unfold and the expansion of linguistic complexity. Our study helps to clarify the role of pantomime in a new sign language and how this role might be linked with language itself, showing implications for language evolution research.

Original language	English
Article number	640057
Number of pages	17
Journal	Frontiers in Psychology
Volume	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.640057
Publication status	Published - 14 Apr 2021

Keywords

Early signs
Emergent sign language
Human communication
Language evolution
Pantomime

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.640057Licence: CC BY

29655648Final published version, 1.31 MBLicence: CC BY

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/33055Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Disentangling pantomime from early sign in a new sign language: window into language evolution research",

abstract = "In this study, we aim to disentangle pantomime from early signs in a newly-born sign language: Sao Tome and Principe Sign Language. Our results show that within 2 years of their first contact with one another, a community of 100 participants interacting everyday was able to build a shared language. The growth of linguistic systematicity, which included a decrease in use of pantomime, reduction of the amplitude of signs and an increase in articulation economy, showcases a learning, and social interaction process that constitutes a continuum and not a cut-off system. The human cognitive system is endowed with mechanisms for symbolization that allow the process of arbitrariness to unfold and the expansion of linguistic complexity. Our study helps to clarify the role of pantomime in a new sign language and how this role might be linked with language itself, showing implications for language evolution research.",

keywords = "Early signs, Emergent sign language, Human communication, Language evolution, Pantomime",

author = "Ana Mineiro and B{\'a}ez-Montero, {Inmaculada Concepci{\'o}n} and Mara Moita and Isabel Galhano-Rodrigues and Alexandre Castro-Caldas",

note = "Funding Information: This work was financially supported by National Funds through FCT – Funda{\c c}{\~a}o para a Ci{\^e}ncia e a Tecnologia, I.P., under the project UIDB/04279/2020. Funding Information: Funding. This work was financially supported by National Funds through FCT ? Funda??o para a Ci?ncia e a Tecnologia, I.P., under the project UIDB/04279/2020. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Copyright {\textcopyright} 2021 Mineiro, B{\'a}ez-Montero, Moita, Galhano-Rodrigues and Castro-Caldas.",

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doi = "10.3389/fpsyg.2021.640057",

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AU - Moita, Mara

AU - Galhano-Rodrigues, Isabel

AU - Castro-Caldas, Alexandre

N1 - Funding Information: This work was financially supported by National Funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., under the project UIDB/04279/2020. Funding Information: Funding. This work was financially supported by National Funds through FCT ? Funda??o para a Ci?ncia e a Tecnologia, I.P., under the project UIDB/04279/2020. Publisher Copyright: © Copyright © 2021 Mineiro, Báez-Montero, Moita, Galhano-Rodrigues and Castro-Caldas.

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Y1 - 2021/4/14

N2 - In this study, we aim to disentangle pantomime from early signs in a newly-born sign language: Sao Tome and Principe Sign Language. Our results show that within 2 years of their first contact with one another, a community of 100 participants interacting everyday was able to build a shared language. The growth of linguistic systematicity, which included a decrease in use of pantomime, reduction of the amplitude of signs and an increase in articulation economy, showcases a learning, and social interaction process that constitutes a continuum and not a cut-off system. The human cognitive system is endowed with mechanisms for symbolization that allow the process of arbitrariness to unfold and the expansion of linguistic complexity. Our study helps to clarify the role of pantomime in a new sign language and how this role might be linked with language itself, showing implications for language evolution research.

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Disentangling pantomime from early sign in a new sign language: window into language evolution research

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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CIIS: Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health

Emerging linguistic features of Sao Tome and Principe sign language

Cite this

Disentangling pantomime from early sign in a new sign language: window into language evolution research

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

CIIS: Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Health

Research output

Emerging linguistic features of Sao Tome and Principe sign language

Cite this