A Tale of Two Modalities: Sign and Speech Influence Each Other in Bimodal Bilinguals

Bimodal bilinguals are hearing individuals fluent in a sign and spoken language. Can the two languages influence each other such despite differences visual (sign) vocal (speech) modalities of expression? We investigated cross-linguistic influences on bimodal bilinguals’ expression spatial relations. Unlike languages, uses iconic linguistic forms that resemble physical features objects relation thus expresses specific semantic information. Hearing ( n = 21) Dutch Sign Language Netherlands their nonsigning deaf signing peers 20 each) described left/right relations between objects. expressed more information about speech than nonsigners, showing from They also used fewer signs with signers, demonstrating speech. shaped by different modalities.