Structure and Acquisition of Signed and Spoken Languages

描述(由申请人提供)：人类语言研究中的许多基本问题--早期经验的作用，“关键时期”的概念，以及语言习得中输入与内在倾向的贡献--很难调查，因为幸运的是，大多数儿童从出生起就接触到了丰富而流利的母语输入。然而，失聪儿童往往从极少的语言输入中习得手语。我们的研究调查了他们在这方面做得有多好，以及从减少输入中产生的语言是如何随着时间的推移而发展和变化的。这些问题在理论上意义重大，对聋儿的生活决策也至关重要。我们建议继续三条线的工作。其中一项研究是研究年轻手语的发展，随着输入的减少，手语的语法正在被构建和扩展。在一个场景中，我们观察了孤立无援的聋哑儿童的“回家手势”系统。在第二个场景中，我们正在研究一种家庭手语，这种语言在一个偏远的渔岛上已经被使用并流传了几代人。第二项研究考察了美国手语的早期语言结构，以及这种语言在经过早期几代手语人后的扩展方式。第三项研究在实验室范式中调查输入和语言发展的问题，使用微型语言学习技术，让听力正常的成年人和儿童研究当输入减少或改变时，语言是如何获得和改变的。这项研究将有助于我们理解语言习得中输入和结果之间的关系，以及儿童习得母语的机制。此外，它还将有助于聋人教育和家长咨询中关于早期语言接触的决定，无论是手语还是口语。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Many fundamental issues in the study of human language-the role of early experience, the concept of a "critical period," and the contributions of input versus internal predispositions in language acquisition-are difficult to investigate because most children are, fortunately, exposed to rich, fluent input to their primary language from birth. However, deaf children often acquire signed languages from greatly reduced linguistic input. Our research investigates how well they do this, and how languages that emerge from reduced input develop and change over time. These questions are theoretically significant and also crucial for decisions in the lives of deaf children. We propose to continue 3 lines of work. One line of research studies the development of young sign languages, whose grammars are being built and expanded as they are acquired from reduced input. In one setting we are observing 'home sign' systems of isolated deaf children. In a second setting we are studying a family sign language that has been used and handed down across several generations on a remote fishing island. A second line of research examines the early linguistic structure of American Sign Language and the way the language expanded as it passed through early generations of signers. A third line of research investigates the questions of input and language development in a laboratory paradigm, using a miniature language learning technique with hearing adults and children to investigate how languages are acquired and changed when input is reduced or altered. This research will contribute to our understanding of the relation between input and outcome in language acquisition, and of the mechanisms by which children acquire their native languages. In addition, it will contribute to decisions regarding early language exposure, whether signed or spoken, in deaf education and parent counseling.