What does decoding refer to in the material?

What does decoding refer to in the material?

• A. Long and short sounds provide L1 and L2 connection.
• B. Converting signs directly into words in a target language.
• C. Assigning signs to categories in a dictionary.
• D. Differentiating phonemes in ASL from English signs.

Answer: (A)

Decoding is about interpreting the language signal by using phonological cues to recover meaning and connect it to what you already know in your first language. In the material, the length of sounds—long versus short—serves as a cue that helps you distinguish words and structures in the second language, creating a bridge to L1 knowledge. This processing step goes beyond translating signs word-for-word or organizing signs in a dictionary; it’s about mapping the audible or visible language patterns to familiar concepts and using those cues to understand and produce the target language.

Decoding is about interpreting the language signal by using phonological cues to recover meaning and connect it to what you already know in your first language. In the material, the length of sounds—long versus short—serves as a cue that helps you distinguish words and structures in the second language, creating a bridge to L1 knowledge. This processing step goes beyond translating signs word-for-word or organizing signs in a dictionary; it’s about mapping the audible or visible language patterns to familiar concepts and using those cues to understand and produce the target language.