A Collective-Distributive Pragmatic Scale and the Developing Lexicon

Autor/inn/en	Grinstead, John; Padilla-Reyes, Ramón; Nieves-Rivera, Melissa
Titel	A Collective-Distributive Pragmatic Scale and the Developing Lexicon
Quelle	In: Language Learning and Development, 17 (2021) 1, S.48-66 (19 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1547-5441
DOI	10.1080/15475441.2020.1863808
Schlagwörter	Pragmatics; Vocabulary Development; Form Classes (Languages); Linguistic Theory; Sentence Structure; Prediction; Spanish Speaking; Puerto Ricans; Semantics; Language Acquisition; Young Children; Intelligence Tests; Verbal Ability; Vignettes; Adults; Child Care Centers; Summer Programs; Puerto Rico; Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Pragmalinguistik; Wortschatzarbeit; Analytischer Sprachbau; Linguistische Theorie; Satzbau; Satzstruktur; Vorhersage; Puerto Rican; Puerto-Ricaner; Semantik; Sprachaneignung; Spracherwerb; Frühe Kindheit; Intelligence test; Intelligenztest; Mündliche Leistung; Child care facilities; Child care services; Kinderzentrum; Kinderbetreuung; Sommerkurs
Abstract	A locus of the difference in meaning between distributive and collective sentences can be the quantifiers that modify their subjects. A current theoretical account of distributive and collective sentences claims that sentences with quantifiers such as "the" in English, or "los" in Spanish, in subject position and an indefinite direct object, modified by "a" in English, or "una" in Spanish, are ambiguous as to whether they are distributive or collective, all things being equal. In contrast, the same sentences with "each"/"cada" in subject position are unambiguously distributive. This account claims that sentences with quantifiers such as "the"/"los" in subject position come to be interpreted collectively, and not distributively, because the distributive meaning could more informatively be constructed using the unambiguous "each"/"cada" quantifier. This is the same neo-Gricean reasoning that accounts for the Quantity Implicature that arises for "some," given the informativeness of "all." On this account, collective and distributive interpretations are intrinsically linked, which predicts that even children's non-adult-like collective and distributive interpretations should nonetheless be statistically associated, which we confirm in a sample of Puerto Rican Spanish-speaking children. We further propose that growth occurs both internal to lexical items, in terms of denotative content, as well as externally, within the lexicon in quantifier networks. Such networks have traditionally been expressed in formal semantics as pragmatic scales. We claim that the growth of both of these lexical dimensions are indexed by general lexical growth and show that a statistical association obtains between them in our sample. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01