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Questions and Answers
What do children use to identify the agent of a verb in a sentence?
What do children use to identify the agent of a verb in a sentence?
- The tone of voice used
- The word order of nouns around verbs (correct)
- The emotional content of the words
- The length of the sentence
Which of the following supports the idea that children understand sentence structures generally?
Which of the following supports the idea that children understand sentence structures generally?
- They prefer simple sentences over complex ones
- They only use verbs they have heard before
- They show success with both familiar and novel verbs (correct)
- They repeat phrases without understanding
How do abstract syntactic representations function in a child's language?
How do abstract syntactic representations function in a child's language?
- They are vague and lack structure
- They are based solely on memorization of phrases
- They are tied to specific vocabulary only
- They include specific rules not dependent on words (correct)
What evidence suggests that some researchers doubt the existence of abstract representations in children's language?
What evidence suggests that some researchers doubt the existence of abstract representations in children's language?
Which aspect is associated with item-based learning in language development?
Which aspect is associated with item-based learning in language development?
What is a key difference between transitive and intransitive verbs in the context of child language acquisition?
What is a key difference between transitive and intransitive verbs in the context of child language acquisition?
What is suggested by children’s ability to use novel verbs successfully?
What is suggested by children’s ability to use novel verbs successfully?
Which statement best describes the nature of children’s knowledge of verbs according to an alternative view?
Which statement best describes the nature of children’s knowledge of verbs according to an alternative view?
What does the observation about determiners reveal regarding children's language development?
What does the observation about determiners reveal regarding children's language development?
In the context of language development, what does the phrase 'item-based learning' suggest?
In the context of language development, what does the phrase 'item-based learning' suggest?
Why might experimental evidence regarding children's language not be completely reliable?
Why might experimental evidence regarding children's language not be completely reliable?
What characteristic is typically associated with transitive verbs compared to intransitive verbs in child language?
What characteristic is typically associated with transitive verbs compared to intransitive verbs in child language?
What is indicated by children's ability to use novel verbs in novel contexts?
What is indicated by children's ability to use novel verbs in novel contexts?
Why is it said that children should not be relied upon to produce language accurately during experiments?
Why is it said that children should not be relied upon to produce language accurately during experiments?
What does the issue of 'strange patterns' in language use imply about children's early language skills?
What does the issue of 'strange patterns' in language use imply about children's early language skills?
What key milestone reflects children's initial understanding of language structure?
What key milestone reflects children's initial understanding of language structure?
What age group is most likely to produce transitive sentences according to the experimental findings?
What age group is most likely to produce transitive sentences according to the experimental findings?
What is the primary method used to test children's understanding of novel verbs in the study?
What is the primary method used to test children's understanding of novel verbs in the study?
What is a characteristic of item-based learning in young children?
What is a characteristic of item-based learning in young children?
What is suggested about the use of new verbs by children under 3 years of age?
What is suggested about the use of new verbs by children under 3 years of age?
Which of the following best describes transitive sentences?
Which of the following best describes transitive sentences?
Which of the following statements about the novel verb 'blick' is accurate?
Which of the following statements about the novel verb 'blick' is accurate?
What is a limitation of children's verb usage before the age of 3?
What is a limitation of children's verb usage before the age of 3?
What tendency do children demonstrate when learning new verbs?
What tendency do children demonstrate when learning new verbs?
What conclusion can be drawn regarding children’s learning until they are 3 years old?
What conclusion can be drawn regarding children’s learning until they are 3 years old?
Which of the following best explains why children under 3 do not use all their verbs in transitive sentences?
Which of the following best explains why children under 3 do not use all their verbs in transitive sentences?
Study Notes
Experimental Evidence of Verb Learning
- Children under 3 years old struggle to use novel verbs in a transitive sentence structure (e.g., "She is blicking the dough") even if they have been exposed to the verb in intransitive sentences (e.g., "The dough is blicking in the machine").
- This suggests that children under 3 years old do not have a general understanding of verbs and how they can be used in different sentence structures.
- Instead, they seem to learn verbs on an individual basis, or "item-based learning," meaning they only apply verbs in the specific sentence structures they have previously heard.
Implications for Language Development
- This research suggests that children initially rely on the word order of nouns around verbs to understand who is doing what.
- They also use sentence structure to figure out the type of verb being used.
- While children's ability to use both familiar and novel verbs suggests a general understanding of how verbs and sentences work, it is unclear if this understanding truly reflects abstract knowledge.
Alternative View of Abstract Syntax
- Researchers have proposed that children's knowledge of verbs may not always be as abstract as it seems, even at older ages.
- Children may have rules in their heads that are not tied to specific words, which allows them to use any word of the correct category in a given sentence structure.
- This abstract syntactic representation is exemplified by the sentence structure [NP V NP NP], which applies to sentences like "The boy gave the man the ball," "My teacher gave me a grade," and "My best friend sent me a letter," despite using different verbs and nouns.
Observational Evidence Against Abstraction
- Diary studies on children's language development show that similar verbs are often only used in different types of phrases, not always in the same way (e.g., "cut paper" and "you rip" but not "rip paper" and "you cut").
- Similar patterns are observed with nouns and determiners, where certain determiners appear only with specific nouns, suggesting a lack of flexibility in word usage at early stages.
Experimental Evidence for Lack of Abstraction
- It is difficult to assess children's abstract knowledge of words in production, as reliance on recordings or perception may not accurately reflect their ability to use words in novel ways.
- The challenge lies in determining if children can use novel verbs in novel ways beyond their previously encountered contexts.
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Description
Explore the experimental evidence of how children under 3 years old learn and use novel verbs. This quiz delves into the implications of item-based learning and the reliance on sentence structure for understanding verb usage. Test your knowledge on early language development and verb comprehension.
