Operationalization of Sign Language Phonological Similarity and its Effects on Lexical Access.

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Bibliographic Details
Title:	Operationalization of Sign Language Phonological Similarity and its Effects on Lexical Access.
Authors:	Williams, Joshua T.^1,2 willjota@indiana.edu, Stone, Adam², Newman, Sharlene D.¹
Source:	Journal of Deaf Studies & Deaf Education. Jul2017, Vol. 22 Issue 3, p303-315. 13p.
Subject Terms:	Sign language, Access to information, Databases, Phonetics
Abstract:	Cognitivemechanisms for sign language lexical access are fairly unknown. This study investigated whether phonological similarity facilitates lexical retrieval in sign languages usingmeasures froma new lexical database for American Sign Language. Additionally, it aimed to determine which similaritymetric best fits the present data in order to informtheories of how phonological similarity is constructed within the lexicon and to aid in the operationalization of phonological similarity in sign language. Sign repetition latencies and accuracy were obtained when native signers were asked to reproduce a sign displayed on a computer screen. Results indicated that, as predicted, phonological similarity facilitated repetition latencies and accuracy as long as there were no strict constraints on the type of sublexical features that overlapped. The data converged to suggest that one similaritymeasure, MaxD, defined as the overlap of any 4 sublexical features, likely best represents mechanisms of phonological similarity in themental lexicon. Together, these data suggest that lexical access in sign language is facilitated by phonologically similar lexical representations inmemory and the optimal operationalization is defined as liberal constraints on overlap of 4 out of 5 sublexical features--similar to themajority of extant definitions in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database:	Education Research Complete

Description
Abstract:	Cognitivemechanisms for sign language lexical access are fairly unknown. This study investigated whether phonological similarity facilitates lexical retrieval in sign languages usingmeasures froma new lexical database for American Sign Language. Additionally, it aimed to determine which similaritymetric best fits the present data in order to informtheories of how phonological similarity is constructed within the lexicon and to aid in the operationalization of phonological similarity in sign language. Sign repetition latencies and accuracy were obtained when native signers were asked to reproduce a sign displayed on a computer screen. Results indicated that, as predicted, phonological similarity facilitated repetition latencies and accuracy as long as there were no strict constraints on the type of sublexical features that overlapped. The data converged to suggest that one similaritymeasure, MaxD, defined as the overlap of any 4 sublexical features, likely best represents mechanisms of phonological similarity in themental lexicon. Together, these data suggest that lexical access in sign language is facilitated by phonologically similar lexical representations inmemory and the optimal operationalization is defined as liberal constraints on overlap of 4 out of 5 sublexical features--similar to themajority of extant definitions in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	10814159
DOI:	10.1093/deafed/enx014