Iconicity of American Sign Language to non-signers
Abstract
The element of iconicity in American Sign Language is important for initial learning and retention of this language. Iconicity is the degree to which a sign looks like the word it represents. However previous research has not addressed what makes something appear to be iconic especially to the non-signing community. This study examined non-signers ability to guess basic signs and determined based on the sample population answers, which signs were seen as iconic by non-signing individuals. The study also found similarities among the sample population's answers that suggest a shared idea of iconicity.