ERIC Number: EJ1319070
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022-Jan
Pages: 33
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0305-0009
EISSN: N/A
The Challenge of Relational Referents in Early Word Extensions: Evidence from Noun-Noun Compounds
Snape, Simon; Krott, Andrea
Journal of Child Language, v49 n1 p131-163 Jan 2022
Young children struggle more with mapping novel words onto relational referents (e.g., verbs) compared to non-relational referents (e.g., nouns). We present further evidence for this notion by investigating children's extensions of noun-noun compounds, which map onto combinations of non-relational referents, i.e., objects (e.g., "baby" and "bottle" for "baby bottle"), and relations (e.g., a "bottle" FOR "babies"). We tested two- to five-year-olds' and adults' generalisations of novel compounds composed of novel (e.g., "kig donka") or familiar (e.g., "star hat") nouns that were combined by one of two relations (e.g., "donka" that has a "kig" attached (=attachment relation) versus "donka" that stores a "kig" (=function relation)). Participants chose between a relational (shared relation) and a non-relational (same colour) match. Results showed a developmental shift from encoding non-relational aspects (colour) towards relations of compound referents, supporting the challenge of relational word referents. Also, attachment relations were more frequently encoded than function relations.
Descriptors: Verbs, Nouns, Cognitive Mapping, Child Language, Language Acquisition, Generalization, Preschool Children, Task Analysis, Novelty (Stimulus Dimension), Decision Making, Color
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A