Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 2, 2026
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
The Body as Evidence for the Nature of Language
1Sign Language Research Laboratory, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
Frontiers in Psychology
|November 24, 2018
Summary
Body actions in sign language reveal language
Area of Science:
- Linguistics
- Anthropology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Compositionality is a fundamental property of language.
- Sign languages offer insights into language structure and emergence.
- Non-linguistic communication also exhibits compositional features.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how body actions in sign language reflect linguistic components.
- To investigate the role of compositionality in language emergence.
- To understand the evolutionary origins of compositional communication.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of body actions (hands, face, head, torso) in sign languages.
- Examination of emerging sign languages to track complexity.
- Comparison with compositional communication in non-linguistic contexts (e.g., emotional displays).
Main Results:
- Body actions in sign language directly map to linguistic components.
- Emerging sign languages demonstrate gradual increases in complexity and efficiency.
- Compositional communication exists in non-linguistic emotional displays, suggesting ancient origins.
Conclusions:
- Body actions are crucial for understanding language properties and emergence.
- Compositionality in communication predates spoken and signed languages.
- Visible body actions are key to studying the origins of language.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
02:55The Evidence for Evolution
48.1K
Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
48.1K
01:10Nature and Nurture
22.4K
Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience,...
22.4K
01:16Language
913
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...
Corballis and Suddendorf (2007) and Tomasello and Rakoczy (2003) highlight the role of language in...
913
01:24Components of Language
823
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.
823
01:22Language Development
913
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...
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...
913
01:27Language and Cognition
799
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.
799