ANR Sign Langage Syntax Acquisition

The SiLSA project aims to address three major gaps in research and clinical practice in French Sign Language (LSF): the absence of diagnostic tools to detect signed aphasias; the lack of knowledge on typical syntax acquisition; and the absence of assessment tools to identify syntactic delays or atypicalities in deaf children.

Signers, whether deaf or hearing, can develop acquired language disorders following a stroke, traumatic brain injury, or neurodegenerative disease. Unlike spoken languages, no standardized tools yet exist to diagnose these disorders in LSF, leading to delayed diagnoses, inadequate care, and a deterioration in quality of life. The development of reliable, culturally adapted assessment tools is therefore essential to ensure equal access to healthcare.

Objective 1 – Detection and remediation of aphasia in LSF SiLSA is designing field-based clinical tools to identify aphasias in LSF and is developing remediation strategies, in particular to treat anomia, a frequent symptom of aphasic disorders.

Objective 2 – Typical acquisition of LSF Studying language acquisition in neurotypical deaf children is complex. As with hearing children, comprehension of complex sentences remains difficult around ages 6–7, and only 5 to 10% of deaf people are native signers exposed to LSF from birth. SiLSA therefore analyzes LSF acquisition across a range of linguistic profiles (native, early, and late signers) reflecting the true diversity of the deaf community. Since deaf children are often simultaneously exposed to spoken language (via hearing aids, lip reading, or cued speech systems), their development is studied within the broader framework of minority language bilingualism. In parallel, the project assesses written French proficiency, in order to avoid any oralist bias and to focus on authentic linguistic competencies.

Objective 3 – Creation of standardized assessment tools The final objective is to design and validate a standardized assessment battery enabling clinicians and educators to analyze linguistic development in LSF, identify potential delays, and propose appropriate interventions.