A multimodal and kinesiological approach to the development of negation in signing and non-signing children

This article applies Boutet’s kinesiological approach (2018) to a study of the expression negation in four children evolving contrastive language environments: predominantly monolingual (English, French, LSF) or bilingual (LSF-French), unimodal (visual modality- gestural) bimodal (visuo-gestural and audio-vocal). We its developmental multimodal aspects according an integrated model that views gestures as part language. Our hypothesis was some formal features gestural are invariant common signing non-signing children. In this study, we describe emergence development expressions negation, depending on whether target integrates sign not, explore invariants negation. focus two shared present determine their invariants. show how studied paper produce combined with languages addition, use forms which gradually become grammaticalized into age. propose origin what usually called “co-verbal gestures” language-core lexicon Shared sign-specific could be continuum semantic tightly connected, confirming body informs meaning.