Manual production enhances learning and recall of signs by hearing second language learners; however, the mechanisms enabling this effect are unclear. We examined whether the motor encoding (somatosensory feedback) that occurs during sign production benefits learning and whether it interacts with sign iconicity, which also enhances learning. American Sign Language (ASL) signs varying in iconicity were learned either via production (repetition) with the eyes closed or via observation without production. Signs learned via production were recalled more accurately than signs learned via observation, indicating that motor encoding from manual production enriches the representations of signs. Moreover, the effect of motor encoding interacted with iconicity, suggesting that motor encoding may particularly enhance the recall of signs low in iconicity. Together, these results reveal the importance of somatosensory feedback as a key mechanism underlying the beneficial effect of production on sign learning, demonstrating that feeling one’s own signing promotes learning and recall of signs.

手工制作通过听到第二语言学习者来增强手语的学习和回忆;然而，实现这种效果的机制尚不清楚。我们检查了在手语制作过程中发生的运动编码（体感反馈）是否有益于学习，以及它是否与手语图标性相互作用，这也增强了学习。美国手语 （ASL） 手语的标志性程度各不相同，是通过闭着眼睛生产（重复）或通过不生产观察来学习的。通过生产学习的符号比通过观察学习的符号更准确地回忆起来，这表明手工生产的运动编码丰富了符号的表征。此外，运动编码的效果与象征性相互作用，表明运动编码可能特别增强对象征性低的标志的回忆。总之，这些结果揭示了体感反馈作为产生对手语学习有益影响的关键机制的重要性，表明感觉自己的手语可以促进手语的学习和回忆。