Relative Translucency of ASL Signs Representing Three Semantic Classes

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Abstract
One variable that has been shown to facilitate sign learning is the perceived translucency between a sign and its gloss. Unfortunately, there is limited information regarding which signs or what types of signs are translucent for young children. The current investigation is an attempt to determine whether children and adults perceive different amounts of translucency in signs drawn from early sign teaching lexicons and representing three different semantic classes. Results indicate that 4- and 7-year-old children and adults perceive signs that represent action to be more translucent than signs representing nomination and signs that represent nomination to be more translucent than signs representing attribution.