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Lexical and Referential Cues to Sentence Interpretation: An Investigation of Children's Interpretations of Ambiguous Sentences

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Title: Lexical and Referential Cues to Sentence Interpretation: An Investigation of Children's Interpretations of Ambiguous Sentences
Language: English
Authors: Kidd, Evan, Bavin, Edith L.
Source: Journal of Child Language. Nov 2005 32(4):855-876.
Availability: Cambridge University Press. The Edinburgh Building, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge CB2 8RU, UK. Tel: 800-872-7423; Tel: 845-353-7500; Tel: +44-1223-326070; Fax: 845-353-4141; Fax: +44-1223-325150; e-mail: subscriptions_newyork@cambridge.org; Web site: http://www.cambridge.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Physical Description: PDF
Page Count: 22
Publication Date: 2005
Sponsoring Agency: Max Planck Inst., Nijmegan (Netherlands).
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Preschool Education
Descriptors: Sentences, Cues, Investigations, Semantics, Form Classes (Languages), Figurative Language, Language Processing, Young Children
DOI: 10.1017/S0305000905007051
ISSN: 0305-0009
Abstract: This paper reports on an investigation of children's (aged 3;5-9;8) comprehension of sentences containing ambiguity of prepositional phrase (PP) attachment. Results from a picture selection study (N=90) showed that children use verb semantics and preposition type to resolve the ambiguity, with older children also showing sensitivity to the definiteness of the object NP as a cue to interpretation. Study 2 investigated three- and five-year-old children's (N=47) ability to override an instrumental interpretation of ambiguous PPs in order to process attributes of the referential scene. The results showed that while five-year-olds are capable of incorporating aspects of the referential scene into their interpretations, three-year-olds are not as successful. Overall, the results suggest that children are attuned very early to the lexico-semantic co-occurrences that have been shown to aid ambiguity resolution in adults, but that more diffuse cues to interpretation are used only later in development. [This research was partially funded by an Australian Postgraduate Award.]
Abstractor: Author
Entry Date: 2007
Accession Number: EJ777487
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Lexical and Referential Cues to Sentence Interpretation: An Investigation of Children's Interpretations of Ambiguous Sentences
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kidd%2C+Evan%22">Kidd, Evan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bavin%2C+Edith+L%2E%22">Bavin, Edith L.</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Child+Language%22"><i>Journal of Child Language</i></searchLink>. Nov 2005 32(4):855-876.
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  Data: Cambridge University Press. The Edinburgh Building, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge CB2 8RU, UK. Tel: 800-872-7423; Tel: 845-353-7500; Tel: +44-1223-326070; Fax: 845-353-4141; Fax: +44-1223-325150; e-mail: subscriptions_newyork@cambridge.org; Web site: http://www.cambridge.org
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 22
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  Data: 2005
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  Data: Max Planck Inst., Nijmegan (Netherlands).
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Preschool+Education%22">Preschool Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sentences%22">Sentences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cues%22">Cues</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Investigations%22">Investigations</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Semantics%22">Semantics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Form+Classes+%28Languages%29%22">Form Classes (Languages)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Figurative+Language%22">Figurative Language</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Processing%22">Language Processing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Young+Children%22">Young Children</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1017/S0305000905007051
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  Data: 0305-0009
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: This paper reports on an investigation of children's (aged 3;5-9;8) comprehension of sentences containing ambiguity of prepositional phrase (PP) attachment. Results from a picture selection study (N=90) showed that children use verb semantics and preposition type to resolve the ambiguity, with older children also showing sensitivity to the definiteness of the object NP as a cue to interpretation. Study 2 investigated three- and five-year-old children's (N=47) ability to override an instrumental interpretation of ambiguous PPs in order to process attributes of the referential scene. The results showed that while five-year-olds are capable of incorporating aspects of the referential scene into their interpretations, three-year-olds are not as successful. Overall, the results suggest that children are attuned very early to the lexico-semantic co-occurrences that have been shown to aid ambiguity resolution in adults, but that more diffuse cues to interpretation are used only later in development. [This research was partially funded by an Australian Postgraduate Award.]
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  Data: 2007
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        Value: 10.1017/S0305000905007051
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 22
        StartPage: 855
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Sentences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cues
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Investigations
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Semantics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Form Classes (Languages)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Figurative Language
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      – SubjectFull: Language Processing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Young Children
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Lexical and Referential Cues to Sentence Interpretation: An Investigation of Children's Interpretations of Ambiguous Sentences
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            NameFull: Bavin, Edith L.
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