Fox mentions several examples of recall errors that were made by hearing people and deaf people. The errors seemed to indicate that those who could hear encode language based on phonology and that deaf people encode language in a more visual-manual manner. This makes sense. But, what about those children who are bilingual in English and ASL, who learn both languages simultaneously in the critical period? How do they ultimately encode either ASL or English? This question is especially interesting when considering someone who speaks English while signing. Are they accessing a phonological or visual lexicon, or both at the same time? Is it possible to have two lexicons? If so, can someone access them both at one time?
Comments (1)
I guess it is hard to speculate about children who have aquired both ASL and spoken English simultaniously within the critical period. But given that they are proficient in both, I imagine they would establish two lexicons, a visual lexicon for sign language and a phonological one for spoken English or any other spoken language. As we have interpreters who can speak and sign at the same time, then those children might also be able to do the same, i.e sign and speak. Apprarently, because each lexicon uses different system of codes, i.e there is no need to code-switch, these children are able to use them simultaniously.
Posted by Hussein | April 27, 2008 2:20 PM
Posted on April 27, 2008 14:20