When learning spoken second language (L2), words overlapping in form and meaning with one's native language (L1) help break into the new language. When nonsigning speakers learn a sign language as L2, such overlaps are absent because of the modality differences (L1: speech, L2: sign). In such cases, nonsigning speakers might use iconic form‐meaning mappings in signs or their own gestural experience as gateways into the to‐be‐acquired sign language. In this study, we investigated how both these phenomena may contribute jointly to the acquisition of sign language vocabulary by hearing nonsigners. Participants were presented with three types of signs in the Sign Language of the Netherlands (NGT): arbitrary signs, iconic signs with high or low gesture overlap. Signs that were both iconic and highly overlapping with gestures boosted learning most at first exposure, and this effect remained the day after. Findings highlight the influence of modality‐specific attributes supporting the acquisition of a signed lexicon.

中文翻译：

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标志性和手势共同促进非手语听力正常者在第一次接触第二语言手语时的学习

在学习第二语言口语 (L2) 时，与母语 (L1) 在形式和含义上重叠的单词有助于融入新语言。当非手语说话者学习 L2 手语时，由于模态差异（L1：语音，L2：手语），这种重叠不存在。在这种情况下，非手语说话者可能会使用符号中的标志性形式意义映射或他们自己的手势经验作为进入即将获得的手语的门户。在这项研究中，我们研究了这两种现象如何共同促进听力正常的非手语者习得手语词汇。向参与者展示了荷兰手语 (NGT) 中的三种标志：任意标志、具有高或低手势重叠的标志性标志。具有标志性且与手势高度重叠的标志在第一次接触时最能促进学习，这种效果在第二天仍然存在。研究结果强调了支持获取签名词典的特定模态属性的影响。