Who is the agent? The influence of pragmatic leads on children's reference assignment in non-obligatory control.

Item request has been placed! ×
Item request cannot be made. ×
loading   Processing Request
Read More Add to Saved list
  • Author(s): Janke V;Janke V
  • Source:
    Journal of child language [J Child Lang] 2018 Mar; Vol. 45 (2), pp. 442-478. Date of Electronic Publication: 2017 Aug 09.
  • Publication Type:
    Journal Article
  • Language:
    English
  • Additional Information
    • Source:
      Publisher: Cambridge Univ. Press Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 0425743 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1469-7602 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 03050009 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Child Lang Subsets: MEDLINE
    • Publication Information:
      Original Publication: London, New York, Cambridge Univ. Press.
    • Subject Terms:
      Comprehension* ; Concept Formation* ; Language Development* ; Pattern Recognition, Visual* ; Psycholinguistics* ; Semantics*; Child ; Choice Behavior ; Communication ; Female ; Humans ; Male
    • Abstract:
      Non-obligatory control constructions (NOC) are sentences which contain a non-finite clause with a null subject whose reference is determined pragmatically. Little is known about how children assign reference to these subjects, yet this is important as our current understanding of reference-resolution development is limited to less complex sentences with overt elements, such as pronouns. This study explores how seventy-six children (aged six to eleven) consult pragmatic leads when assigning reference in two examples of NOC. Children undertook three picture-selection tasks, containing no lead, a weak lead, and a strong lead, and their reference choices in the critical sentences were monitored. The novel results pinpoint children's baseline interpretations of the ambiguous sentences and expose an age trend in the degree to which they consult strong pragmatic leads when resolving reference. These trends illustrate how reference assignment in more complex discourse-governed contexts progresses, thereby contributing an important dimension to the pragmatics acquisition literature.
    • Publication Date:
      Date Created: 20170810 Date Completed: 20190130 Latest Revision: 20190130
    • Publication Date:
      20231215
    • Accession Number:
      10.1017/S0305000917000320
    • Accession Number:
      28791944