Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Components of Language01:24

Components of Language

870
Language, whether spoken, signed, or written, consists of specific components: lexicon and grammar. The lexicon is the vocabulary of a language, comprising its words. Grammar is the set of rules used to convey meaning through the lexicon. For example, English grammar adds “-ed” to most verbs to indicate past tense. Words are formed by combining phonemes, which are the basic sound units of a language. Different languages have different sets of phonemes (e.g., “ah” vs.
870
Language01:16

Language

972
Language is a unique communication system that uses words and systematic rules to organize and transmit information. Unlike other forms of communication, which may involve postures, movements, odors, or vocalizations, language relies on symbols and grammar. This makes human communication distinct from that of other species, who also communicate but do not use language in the same way humans do.
Corballis and Suddendorf (2007) and Tomasello and Rakoczy (2003) highlight the role of language in...
972
Language and Cognition01:27

Language and Cognition

891
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
891
Language Development01:22

Language Development

1.0K
Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
1.0K
Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language01:10

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

4.0K
Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...
4.0K
Lateralization01:28

Lateralization

1.1K
Brain lateralization refers to the division of mental processes and functions between the two hemispheres of the brain, a phenomenon that optimizes neural efficiency and underpins complex abilities in humans. This specialization allows each hemisphere to perform tasks where it has a comparative advantage, facilitating more refined cognitive capabilities across different domains.
1.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Language and Cognitive Development in Bimodal Bilingual Deaf Children in Hearing Families: Three Case Studies.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland)·2025
Same author

Brazilian Bimodal Bilinguals as Heritage Signers.

Languages (Basel, Switzerland)·2025
Same author

WH-MOVEMENT AND THE POSITION OF SPEC-CP: EVIDENCE FROM AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE.

Language·2024
Same author

Person vs. locative agreement: Evidence from late learners and language emergence.

Sign language and linguistics·2024
Same author

The historical demography of the Martha's Vineyard signing community.

Journal of deaf studies and deaf education·2024
Same author

Editorial: Modality and language acquisition: how does the channel through which language is expressed affect how children and adults are able to learn?

Frontiers in psychology·2023
Same journal

Self-Deception, Delusion and the Boundaries of Folk Psychology.

Humana.mente·2012
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 28, 2026

The Spatial Memory Game: Testing the Relationship Between Spatial Language, Object Knowledge, and Spatial Cognition
05:15

The Spatial Memory Game: Testing the Relationship Between Spatial Language, Object Knowledge, and Spatial Cognition

Published on: February 19, 2018

11.4K

The Points Of Language.

Richard P Meier1, Diane Lillo-Martin2

  • 1Department of Linguistics, University of Texas at Austin, USA.

Humana.Mente
|June 13, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Pointing signs in signed languages function like pronouns and determiners. While first-person points are fully linguistic, others show gestural elements, indicating evolving grammatical roles.

Keywords:
GesturePointingPronounsSign languagesVerb agreement

More Related Videos

Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language
09:27

Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language

Published on: October 13, 2018

10.8K
Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization
05:35

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization

Published on: April 19, 2017

7.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 28, 2026

The Spatial Memory Game: Testing the Relationship Between Spatial Language, Object Knowledge, and Spatial Cognition
05:15

The Spatial Memory Game: Testing the Relationship Between Spatial Language, Object Knowledge, and Spatial Cognition

Published on: February 19, 2018

11.4K
Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language
09:27

Using Eye Movements Recorded in the Visual World Paradigm to Explore the Online Processing of Spoken Language

Published on: October 13, 2018

10.8K
Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization
05:35

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization

Published on: April 19, 2017

7.1K

Area of Science:

  • Linguistics
  • Sign Language Studies
  • Semiotics

Background:

  • Pointing signs in signed languages serve diverse grammatical functions, including pronominal, demonstrative, and locative roles.
  • The linguistic status of these signs requires careful examination based on established criteria.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish criteria for identifying the linguistic status of pointing signs in signed languages.
  • To analyze whether first-person and non-first person pointing signs meet these linguistic criteria.
  • To investigate the historical development and grammaticization of pointing sign systems.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of pointing signs based on criteria such as conventionality, indexicality, and phonological compositionality.
  • Examination of grammatical constraints and distinctions marked by pointing signs.
  • Review of historical evidence for the evolution of pointing sign systems.

Main Results:

  • First-person pointing signs satisfy all proposed criteria for linguistic status.
  • Non-first person pointing signs exhibit characteristics of both linguistic signs and gestures.
  • Evidence suggests a historical grammaticization process for pointing sign systems in signed languages.

Conclusions:

  • First-person pointing signs are unequivocally linguistic elements in signed languages.
  • Non-first person pointing signs present a mixed linguistic-gestural nature.
  • Pointing signs demonstrate a dynamic evolution within the grammar of signed languages.