Prelinguistic gesture predicts mastery and error in the production of early signs

We explore the predictors of early mastery versus error in children's acqui sition of American Sign Language. We hypothesize that the most frequent val ues for a particular parameter in prelinguistic gesture will be the most fr equent in early signs and the most likely sources of substitution when sign ing children make errors. Analyses of data from a longitudinal study of the prelinguistic gestures of five Deaf and five hearing children and a longit udinal study of four Deaf children's early signs have revealed evidence of significant commonalities between prelinguistic gesture and early sign. Thi s apparent continuity between prelinguistic gesture and early sign reflects constraints operating on the infant-in all likelihood. motoric constraints -that seem to persist into the first-word period in both major language mod alities. In sign, as in speech, the production of first signs uses building blocks that are available to the prelinguistic child.