Constructed action in the narrative tasks of children and adults using Finnish Sign Language

Abstract This article describes the use of a specific type of enactment — constructed action (CA) — by children acquiring Finnish Sign Language (FinSL) and adults who use FinSL as their first language. Constructed action was investigated from the recordings of two narrative tasks performed by the children and the adults. In the tasks, the signers were shown still-image and video materials and asked to retell the events happening in the materials. The children’s recordings were part of a larger cross-sectional dataset that evaluated the language development of children acquiring FinSL. The adults’ recordings were part of the Corpus of Finnish Sign Language. In the present study, the children’s and adults’ data were systematically annotated and analyzed for CA tokens. The corresponding analysis provided the opportunity to compare CA use practices between the two age groups. Statistical tests were conducted to examine whether any statistically significant differences could be found between the two narrative tasks and the two age groups regarding CA use. The results showed clear differences between the use of CA by the children and the adults. The children used CA significantly less than the adults did in both narrative tasks. However, the findings also showed similarities in the patterns of CA use. Both groups used CA significantly more when they were shown video materials than when they were shown still images. The differences found between the groups support the view that CA is a gradually acquired skill, whereas the similarities show how viewing the dynamic actions of human referents encourages the use of enactment in narrative discourse contexts.