Age of sign language acquisition has lifelong effect on syntactic preferences in sign language users

• Published in: International journal of behavioral development Vol. 45; no. 5; pp. 397 - 408
• Main Authors: Krebs, Julia, Roehm, Dietmar, Wilbur, Ronnie B., Malaia, Evie A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.09.2021; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Acceptability; Acquisition; Adults; Age; Age Differences; Age effects; Age of acquisition; Behavioral responses; Childhood; Classifiers; Deafness; Foreign Countries; Grammar; Grammatical subject; Hearing Impairments; Language Acquisition; Language Processing; Natural language; Oral Language; Reaction Time; Second Language Learning; Sentences; Sign Language; Spoken language; Syntax; Verbs; Word order; Young Children; Austria; sign language; Age of acquisition; Austrian Sign Language; age

Acquisition of natural language has been shown to fundamentally impact both one’s ability to use the first language and the ability to learn subsequent languages later in life. Sign languages offer a unique perspective on this issue because Deaf signers receive access to signed input at varying ages...