Confluence of Space and Language in ASL

[809002]过去二十年的研究表明，手语遵循与口语相同的语法约束，并表现出与口语相同的语言原则。然而，与口语不同，手语依赖于高水平的视觉空间过程来解释。这个项目研究了在美国手语（ASL）中使用物理空间来编码语言差异，并建立在本实验室之前对聋人ASL手语的在线处理研究的基础上。具体来说，本实验研究了a)话语中的共指和语用对比以及b)位置对比和空间视角的空间化编码。该研究将通过阐明语言的感觉形态影响其结构和加工的方式，促进我们对人类语言的理解。此外，研究结果对如何在聋哑人的教育环境中使用美国手语有明确的含义，表明如何操纵手语空间来促进对复杂信息的理解。最后，这个项目将促进聋人参与研究，为他们进入科学领域提供一个环境和培训。

9809002EMMOREYResearch over the past two decades has shown that signed languages conform to the same grammatical constraints and exhibit the same linguistic principles found in spoken languages. However, unlike spoken languages, signed languages depend upon high level visual-spatial processes for interpretation. This project investigates the use of physical space to encode linguistic distinctions within American Sign Language (ASL) and builds upon this lab's previous studies of on-line processing in deaf ASL signers. Specifically, the proposed experiments examine the spatialized encoding of a) co-reference and pragmatic contrasts within a discourse and of b) locational contrasts and spatial perspective.The research will advance our understanding of human language by illuminating the ways in which the sensory modality of a language affects its structure and processing. In addition, the results have clear implications for how ASL is used within an educational setting for the deaf by indicating how signing space can be manipulated to foster the comprehension of complex information. Finally, this project will promote the participation of Deaf people in research, providing an environment and training that facilitate entrance into scientific fields.