We test the claim that acquiring a mass-count language, like English, causes speakers to think di... more We test the claim that acquiring a mass-count language, like English, causes speakers to think differently about entities in the world, relative to speakers of classifier languages like Japanese. We use three tasks to assess this claim: object-substance rating, quantity judgment, and word extension. Using the first two tasks, we present evidence that learning mass-count syntax has little effect on the interpretation of familiar nouns between Japanese and English, and that speakers of these languages do not divide up referents differently along an individuation continuum, as claimed in some previous reports [Gentner, D., & Boroditsky, L. (2001). Individuation, relativity, and early word learning. In M. Bowerman, & S. Levinson (Eds.), Language acquisition and conceptual development (pp. 215-256). Cambridge University Press]. Instead, we argue that previous cross-linguistic differences [Imai, M., & Gentner, D. (1997). A cross-linguistic study of early word meaning: Universal ontology and linguistic influence. Cognition, 62, 169-200] are attributable to ''lexical statistics" [Gleitman, L., & Papafragou, A. (2005). Language and thought. In K. Holyoak, & R. Morrison (Eds.), Cambridge handbook of thinking and reasoning (pp. 633-661). Cambridge University Press]
We test the claim that acquiring a mass-count language, like English, causes speakers to think di... more We test the claim that acquiring a mass-count language, like English, causes speakers to think differently about entities in the world, relative to speakers of classifier languages like Japanese. We use three tasks to assess this claim: object-substance rating, quantity judgment, and word extension. Using the first two tasks, we present evidence that learning mass-count syntax has little effect on the interpretation of familiar nouns between Japanese and English, and that speakers of these languages do not divide up referents differently along an individuation continuum, as claimed in some previous reports [Gentner, D., & Boroditsky, L. (2001). Individuation, relativity, and early word learning. In M. Bowerman, & S. Levinson (Eds.), Language acquisition and conceptual development (pp. 215-256). Cambridge University Press]. Instead, we argue that previous cross-linguistic differences [Imai, M., & Gentner, D. (1997). A cross-linguistic study of early word meaning: Universal ontology and linguistic influence. Cognition, 62, 169-200] are attributable to ''lexical statistics" [Gleitman, L., & Papafragou, A. (2005). Language and thought. In K. Holyoak, & R. Morrison (Eds.), Cambridge handbook of thinking and reasoning (pp. 633-661). Cambridge University Press]
We investigated the interaction of mass-count syntax and item-specific word meanings by comparing... more We investigated the interaction of mass-count syntax and item-specific word meanings by comparing quantity judgments in two mass-count languages (English, French) and a classifier language (Japanese). Speakers of both English and Japanese based quantity judgments on volume for substance-mass terms (e.g., judging two large portions of toothpaste to be more toothpaste than six tiny portions) but on number for count nouns (e.g., shoes) and object-mass nouns (e.g., judging that six small pieces of furniture are more furniture than two large pieces). For words that can be used in either mass or count syntax in English (e.g., string), English quantity judgments shifted as a function of masscount syntax (i.e., based on number when used in count syntax, but on volume when used in mass syntax), while approximately 50% of Japanese quantity judgments were based on number, falling between English mass and count judgments. For words that are mass nouns in English but count nouns in French (e.g., spinach), quantity judgments shifted as a function of syntax between these languages, while Japanese judgments were not different from the count judgments of French speakers, and were based mainly on number. We argue that, across languages, mass-count syntax is not necessary for nouns to specify individuation, but acts to select from among universally available lexical meanings. S. Inagaki et al. (Eds.) Studies in Language Sciences 8. 111-125. 2009, Kurosio Publishers, Tokyo, Japan.
Japanese and Chinese Learners' Acquisition of the Narrow-Range Rules for the Dative Alternation in English
Language Learning, 1997
I investigated the acquisition of narrow-range rules gov-erning the dative alternation (Pinker, 1... more I investigated the acquisition of narrow-range rules gov-erning the dative alternation (Pinker, 1989) by adult L2 learners of English: 32 English speakers, 32 Japanese speakers and 32 Chinese speakers participated. I investi-gated 4 of Pinker's narrow-range verb ...
We test the claim that acquiring a mass-count language, like English, causes speakers to think di... more We test the claim that acquiring a mass-count language, like English, causes speakers to think differently about entities in the world, relative to speakers of classifier languages like Japanese. We use three tasks to assess this claim: object-substance rating, quantity judgment, and word extension. Using the first two tasks, we present evidence that learning mass-count syntax has little effect on the interpretation of familiar nouns between Japanese and English, and that speakers of these languages do not divide up referents differently along an individuation continuum, as claimed in some previous reports [Gentner, D., & Boroditsky, L. (2001). Individuation, relativity, and early word learning. In M. Bowerman, & S. Levinson (Eds.), Language acquisition and conceptual development (pp. 215-256). Cambridge University Press]. Instead, we argue that previous cross-linguistic differences [Imai, M., & Gentner, D. (1997). A cross-linguistic study of early word meaning: Universal ontology and linguistic influence. Cognition, 62, 169-200] are attributable to ''lexical statistics" [Gleitman, L., & Papafragou, A. (2005). Language and thought. In K. Holyoak, & R. Morrison (Eds.), Cambridge handbook of thinking and reasoning (pp. 633-661). Cambridge University Press]
We test the claim that acquiring a mass-count language, like English, causes speakers to think di... more We test the claim that acquiring a mass-count language, like English, causes speakers to think differently about entities in the world, relative to speakers of classifier languages like Japanese. We use three tasks to assess this claim: object-substance rating, quantity judgment, and word extension. Using the first two tasks, we present evidence that learning mass-count syntax has little effect on the interpretation of familiar nouns between Japanese and English, and that speakers of these languages do not divide up referents differently along an individuation continuum, as claimed in some previous reports [Gentner, D., & Boroditsky, L. (2001). Individuation, relativity, and early word learning. In M. Bowerman, & S. Levinson (Eds.), Language acquisition and conceptual development (pp. 215-256). Cambridge University Press]. Instead, we argue that previous cross-linguistic differences [Imai, M., & Gentner, D. (1997). A cross-linguistic study of early word meaning: Universal ontology and linguistic influence. Cognition, 62, 169-200] are attributable to ''lexical statistics" [Gleitman, L., & Papafragou, A. (2005). Language and thought. In K. Holyoak, & R. Morrison (Eds.), Cambridge handbook of thinking and reasoning (pp. 633-661). Cambridge University Press]
We investigated the interaction of mass-count syntax and item-specific word meanings by comparing... more We investigated the interaction of mass-count syntax and item-specific word meanings by comparing quantity judgments in two mass-count languages (English, French) and a classifier language (Japanese). Speakers of both English and Japanese based quantity judgments on volume for substance-mass terms (e.g., judging two large portions of toothpaste to be more toothpaste than six tiny portions) but on number for count nouns (e.g., shoes) and object-mass nouns (e.g., judging that six small pieces of furniture are more furniture than two large pieces). For words that can be used in either mass or count syntax in English (e.g., string), English quantity judgments shifted as a function of masscount syntax (i.e., based on number when used in count syntax, but on volume when used in mass syntax), while approximately 50% of Japanese quantity judgments were based on number, falling between English mass and count judgments. For words that are mass nouns in English but count nouns in French (e.g., spinach), quantity judgments shifted as a function of syntax between these languages, while Japanese judgments were not different from the count judgments of French speakers, and were based mainly on number. We argue that, across languages, mass-count syntax is not necessary for nouns to specify individuation, but acts to select from among universally available lexical meanings. S. Inagaki et al. (Eds.) Studies in Language Sciences 8. 111-125. 2009, Kurosio Publishers, Tokyo, Japan.
Japanese and Chinese Learners' Acquisition of the Narrow-Range Rules for the Dative Alternation in English
Language Learning, 1997
I investigated the acquisition of narrow-range rules gov-erning the dative alternation (Pinker, 1... more I investigated the acquisition of narrow-range rules gov-erning the dative alternation (Pinker, 1989) by adult L2 learners of English: 32 English speakers, 32 Japanese speakers and 32 Chinese speakers participated. I investi-gated 4 of Pinker's narrow-range verb ...
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