Co-speech gesture as input in verb learning

Dev Sci. 2009 Jan;12(1):81-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-7687.2008.00735.x.

Abstract

People gesture a great deal when speaking, and research has shown that listeners can interpret the information contained in gesture. The current research examines whether learners can also use co-speech gesture to inform language learning. Specifically, we examine whether listeners can use information contained in an iconic gesture to assign meaning to a novel verb form. Two experiments demonstrate that adults and 2-, 3-, and 4-year-old children can infer the meaning of novel intransitive verbs from gestures when no other source of information is present. The findings support the idea that gesture might be a source of input available to language learners.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Child, Preschool
  • Gestures*
  • Humans
  • Language Development*
  • Language*
  • Learning / physiology*
  • Psychological Tests
  • Speech Perception / physiology*
  • Young Adult