ERIC Number: EJ1306610
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1547-5441
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
The Development of Quantity Implicatures in Mandarin-Speaking Children
Zhao, Shuyan; Ren, Jie; Frank, Michael C.; Zhou, Peng
Language Learning and Development, v17 n4 p343-365 2021
The present study reports a large, cross-sectional study of Mandarin-speaking children's ability to compute quantity implicatures. To chart the developmental trajectory of this pragmatic ability, we tested 225 Mandarin-speaking children aged 4-8 years on their interpretations of scalar and non-scalar implicatures, as well as numerals. Scalar implicatures were difficult and we did not observe consistent success until age 6. In contrast, by 4 years of age this group was already able to compute non-scalar implicatures and the exact readings of numerals at adult-like rates. The implications of the current findings are discussed in relation to children's development of pragmatic inference, highlighting the relevance of cross-linguistic data in understanding pragmatic development.
Descriptors: Mandarin Chinese, Case Studies, Pragmatics, Language Skills, Preschool Children, Child Development, Inferences, Contrastive Linguistics, Language Acquisition, Young Children, Foreign Countries, Form Classes (Languages), Difficulty Level, Task Analysis, Pictorial Stimuli
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: China (Beijing)
Grant or Contract Numbers: 146077
Author Affiliations: N/A