This study reports on strategies to indicate plural referents in hearing learners of Sign Language of the Netherlands. This is the first explorative study that focuses on L2 expressions of plurality in a sign language. Using data from two datasets, I examined when learners start to express plural and which strategies they apply, and I noted typical learner characteristics. The first study examined spontaneous conversations of three learners, during the first 18 months of their learning. The second study analyzed elicited data from 11 learners during their first year of learning. The data reveal that learners are able to express plural referents in early stages, using strategies that are familiar to them (quantifiers) as well as strategies that do not occur in their mother tongue (reduplication of the noun, use of spatial devices). The early emergence might be explained by the salient nature of the devices and the resemblance with gestural portrayals.

中文翻译：

---

荷兰手语听力第二语言学习者表达复数的策略的获得

本研究报告了荷兰手语听力学习者指示复数所指对象的策略。这是第一个专注于手语中的二语表达的探索性研究。使用两个数据集中的数据，我检查了学习者何时开始表达复数以及他们应用的策略，并记录了典型的学习者特征。第一项研究考察了三名学习者在学习的前 18 个月内的自发对话。第二项研究分析了 11 名学习者第一年学习期间的数据。数据显示，学习者能够在早期阶段使用他们熟悉的策略（量词）以及母语中未出现的策略（名词的重复、空间设备的使用）来表达复数所指对象。其早期出现可能是由于这些设备的显着性质以及与手势描绘的相似性。