Working Memory Capacity in Australian Sign Language (Auslan)/English Interpreters and Deaf Signers
Little research has examined working memory
capacity (WMC) in signed language interpreters and deaf signers.
This paper presents the findings of a study that investigated WMC in
professional Australian Sign Language (Auslan)/English interpreters
and deaf signers. Thirty-one professional Auslan/English interpreters
(14 hearing native signers and 17 hearing non-native signers)
completed an English listening span task and then an Auslan working
memory span task, which tested their English WMC and their Auslan
WMC, respectively. Moreover, 26 deaf signers (6 deaf native signers
and 20 deaf non-native signers) completed the Auslan working
memory span task. The results revealed a non-significant difference
between the hearing native signers and the hearing non-native signers
in their English WMC, and a non-significant difference between the
hearing native signers and the hearing non-native signers in their
Auslan WMC. Moreover, the results yielded a non-significant
difference between the hearing native signers- English WMC and
their Auslan WMC, and a non-significant difference between the
hearing non-native signers- English WMC and their Auslan WMC.
Furthermore, a non-significant difference was found between the deaf
native signers and the deaf non-native signers in their Auslan WMC.
[1] A. D. Baddeley. "Working memory and language: An overview,"
Journal of Communication Disorders, vol. 36, no. 3, pp. 189-208, 2003.
[2] T. Johnston, and A. Schembri. Australian Sign Language (Auslan): An
introduction to sign language linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2007.
[3] L. Gran Tarabocchia, and C. J. Kellett Bidoli. "Sign language
interpretation: A newcomer to Italian universities," Textus, vol. 14, no.
2, pp. 421-446, 2001.
[4] B. N. Macnamara, A. B. Moore, J. A. Kegl, and A. R. A. Conway.
"Domain-general cognitive abilities and simultaneous interpreting skill,"
Interpreting, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 121-142, 2011.
[5] R. Van Dijk, I. Christoffels, A. Postma, and D. Hermans. "The relation
between the working memory skills of sign language interpreters and the
quality of their interpretations," Bilingualism: Language and Cognition,
vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 340-350, 2012.
[6] I. K. Christoffels, A. M. B. De Groot, and J. F. Kroll. "Memory and
language skills in simultaneous interpreters: The role of expertise and
language proficiency," Journal of Memory and Language, vol. 54, no. 3,
pp. 324-345, 2006.
[7] C. A. Stafford. "Bilingualism and enhanced attention in early
adulthood," International Journal of Bilingual Education and
Bilingualism, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 1-22, 2011.
[8] C. A. Sanchez, J. Wiley, T. K. Miura, G. J. H. Colflesh, T. R. Ricks, M.
S. Jensen, and A. R. A. Conway. "Assessing working memory capacity
in a non-native language," Learning and Individual Differences, vol. 20,
no. 5, pp. 488-493, 2010.
[9] M. Wilson, J. G. Bettger, I. Niculae, and E. S. Klima. "Modality of
language shapes working memory: Evidence from digit span and spatial
span in ASL signers," Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, vol.
2, no. 3, pp. 150-160, 1997.
[10] R. A. Krakow, and V. L. Hanson. "Deaf signers and serial recall in the
visual modality: Memory for signs, fingerspelling, and print," Memory
& Cognition, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 265-272, 1985.
[11] R. I. Mayberry, and E. B. Eichen. The long-lasting advantage of learning
sign language in childhood: Another look at the critical period for
language acquisition. Journal of Memory & Language, vol. 30, no. 4,
pp. 486-512, 1991.
[12] M. J. Kane, D. Z. Hambrick, S. W. Tuholski, O. Wilhelm, T. W. Payne,
and R. W. Engle. "The generality of working memory capacity: A
latent-variable approach to verbal and visuospatial memory span and
reasoning," Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, vol. 133, no.
2, pp. 189-217, 2004.
[1] A. D. Baddeley. "Working memory and language: An overview,"
Journal of Communication Disorders, vol. 36, no. 3, pp. 189-208, 2003.
[2] T. Johnston, and A. Schembri. Australian Sign Language (Auslan): An
introduction to sign language linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2007.
[3] L. Gran Tarabocchia, and C. J. Kellett Bidoli. "Sign language
interpretation: A newcomer to Italian universities," Textus, vol. 14, no.
2, pp. 421-446, 2001.
[4] B. N. Macnamara, A. B. Moore, J. A. Kegl, and A. R. A. Conway.
"Domain-general cognitive abilities and simultaneous interpreting skill,"
Interpreting, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 121-142, 2011.
[5] R. Van Dijk, I. Christoffels, A. Postma, and D. Hermans. "The relation
between the working memory skills of sign language interpreters and the
quality of their interpretations," Bilingualism: Language and Cognition,
vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 340-350, 2012.
[6] I. K. Christoffels, A. M. B. De Groot, and J. F. Kroll. "Memory and
language skills in simultaneous interpreters: The role of expertise and
language proficiency," Journal of Memory and Language, vol. 54, no. 3,
pp. 324-345, 2006.
[7] C. A. Stafford. "Bilingualism and enhanced attention in early
adulthood," International Journal of Bilingual Education and
Bilingualism, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 1-22, 2011.
[8] C. A. Sanchez, J. Wiley, T. K. Miura, G. J. H. Colflesh, T. R. Ricks, M.
S. Jensen, and A. R. A. Conway. "Assessing working memory capacity
in a non-native language," Learning and Individual Differences, vol. 20,
no. 5, pp. 488-493, 2010.
[9] M. Wilson, J. G. Bettger, I. Niculae, and E. S. Klima. "Modality of
language shapes working memory: Evidence from digit span and spatial
span in ASL signers," Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, vol.
2, no. 3, pp. 150-160, 1997.
[10] R. A. Krakow, and V. L. Hanson. "Deaf signers and serial recall in the
visual modality: Memory for signs, fingerspelling, and print," Memory
& Cognition, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 265-272, 1985.
[11] R. I. Mayberry, and E. B. Eichen. The long-lasting advantage of learning
sign language in childhood: Another look at the critical period for
language acquisition. Journal of Memory & Language, vol. 30, no. 4,
pp. 486-512, 1991.
[12] M. J. Kane, D. Z. Hambrick, S. W. Tuholski, O. Wilhelm, T. W. Payne,
and R. W. Engle. "The generality of working memory capacity: A
latent-variable approach to verbal and visuospatial memory span and
reasoning," Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, vol. 133, no.
2, pp. 189-217, 2004.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:57747", author = "Jihong Wang", title = "Working Memory Capacity in Australian Sign Language (Auslan)/English Interpreters and Deaf Signers", abstract = "Little research has examined working memory
capacity (WMC) in signed language interpreters and deaf signers.
This paper presents the findings of a study that investigated WMC in
professional Australian Sign Language (Auslan)/English interpreters
and deaf signers. Thirty-one professional Auslan/English interpreters
(14 hearing native signers and 17 hearing non-native signers)
completed an English listening span task and then an Auslan working
memory span task, which tested their English WMC and their Auslan
WMC, respectively. Moreover, 26 deaf signers (6 deaf native signers
and 20 deaf non-native signers) completed the Auslan working
memory span task. The results revealed a non-significant difference
between the hearing native signers and the hearing non-native signers
in their English WMC, and a non-significant difference between the
hearing native signers and the hearing non-native signers in their
Auslan WMC. Moreover, the results yielded a non-significant
difference between the hearing native signers- English WMC and
their Auslan WMC, and a non-significant difference between the
hearing non-native signers- English WMC and their Auslan WMC.
Furthermore, a non-significant difference was found between the deaf
native signers and the deaf non-native signers in their Auslan WMC.", keywords = "deaf signers, signed language interpreters, working
memory capacity", volume = "6", number = "6", pages = "1343-5", }