Grammatical Complexity and Gesture Production of Younger and Older Adults

Burcu Arslan; Demet Özer; Tilbe Göksun

doi:10.18492/dad.1336844

TR EN

Genç ve Yaşlı Yetişkinlerde Sözdizimsel Karmaşıklık ve Jest Kullanımı

Öz

Dil kullanımında yaşa bağlı etkiler hem sözlü dil hem de jest üretiminde gözlenir. Yaşlı yetişkinlerin sözdizimsel olarak karmaşık cümleleri genç yetişkinlere oranla daha az ürettikleri ve daha az ikonik (temsili) el jesti kullandığı gözlemlenmiştir. Bu çalışma, jest kullanımının (özellikle ikonik jest kullanımının), genç ve yaşlı yaş grupları içinde ve arasında sözdizimsel karmaşıklık ile ilişkili olup olmadığını araştırmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, iki yaş grubundan katılımcılardan (N = 60) üç farklı soyut resmi anlatmaları istenmiştir. Sonuçlar, genç yetişkinlerin yaşlı yetişkinlere oranla daha fazla sözdizimsel olarak karmaşık cümle kullandığını gösterdi. Her ne kadar iki yaş grubu genel jest sıklığında benzer olsa da yaşlı yetişkinler daha az ikonik jest üretti. Ayrıca, yaş grubundan bağımsız olarak, genel jest kullanımının sözdizimsel karmaşıklığı negatif yönde yordadığı bulunmuştur. Fakat, özel olarak ikonik jest kullanımı, karmaşık sözdiziminin önemli bir belirleyicisi değildi. Bu çalışma, farklı jest türlerinin farklı yaş grupları için değişken ve çeşitli işlevler taşıyabileceğini, jest ve sözlü dil arasındaki ilişkinin ise yaşa bağlı bilişsel değişimlerden etkilenerek farklılaşabileceğine dikkat çekmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Grammatical Complexity and Gesture Production of Younger and Older Adults

Abstract

Age-related effects are observed in both speech and gesture production. Older adults produce grammatically fewer complex sentences and use fewer iconic gestures than younger adults. This study investigated whether gesture use, especially iconic gesture production, was associated with the syntactic complexity within and across younger and older age groups. We elicited language samples from these groups, using a picture description task (N=60). Results suggested shorter and less complex speech for older than younger adults. Although the two age groups were similar in overall gesture frequency, older adults produced fewer iconic gestures. Overall gesture frequency, along with participants’ ages, negatively predicted grammatical complexity. However, iconic gesture frequency was not a significant predictor of complex syntax. We conclude that each gesture might carry a function in a coordinated multimodal system, which might, in turn, influence speech quality. Focusing on individual differences, rather than age groups, might unravel the nature of multimodal communication.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Türkiye Bilimler Akademisi - Üstün Başarılı Genç Bilim İnsanı Ödülleri - 2018 (Dr. Tilbe Göksun'a verilmiştir)

Thanks

Sözlü dil ve jest kodlamalarında bizlere yardımcı olan Can Avcı, Zeynep Acar, Busenur Caba'ya ve pek çok aşamada akademik tartışmalar ile bu çalışmaya katkı sağlayan tüm Koç Üniversitesi Dil ve Biliş Labı üyelerine teşekkür ederiz.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Cognitive Linguistics , Linguistic Performance Science

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Burcu Arslan
0000-0002-2465-360X
Türkiye

Demet Özer ^*
0000-0003-3230-2874
Türkiye

Tilbe Göksun
0000-0002-0190-7988
Türkiye

Publication Date

December 29, 2023

Submission Date

August 4, 2023

Acceptance Date

December 24, 2023

Published in Issue

Year 2023 Volume: 34 Number: 2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.18492/dad.1336844

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA56WJ96DN

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Arslan, B., Özer, D., & Göksun, T. (2023). Grammatical Complexity and Gesture Production of Younger and Older Adults. Dilbilim Araştırmaları Dergisi, 34(2), 201-216. https://doi.org/10.18492/dad.1336844

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