ERIC Number: EJ1012583
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 34
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1547-5441
EISSN: N/A
Harder Words: Learning Abstract Verbs with Opaque Syntax
Becker, Misha; Estigarribia, Bruno
Language Learning and Development, v9 n3 p211-244 2013
Highly abstract predicates (e.g. "think") present a number of difficulties for language learners (Gleitman et al., 2005). A partial solution to learning these verbs is that learners exploit regularities in the syntactic frames in which these verbs occur. While agreeing with this general approach to learning verbs, we caution that this strategy is not sufficient for learning another class of abstract verbs known as "raising" verbs ("seem") since their argument structure frames cannot always be directly read off of the surface syntax. We conducted a novel verb learning study to test the role played by subject (in)animacy in determining the syntactic frame of novel verbs that could be categorized as raising verbs. Animacy is useful since raising but not control verbs admit inanimate subjects ("The rock seems/#claims to be heavy"). We outline a two-step process of probabilistic verb categorization that relies on subject animacy in addition to more traditional Syntactic Bootstrapping assumptions. We conclude by suggesting more general applications of this process to learning other kinds of opaque abstract predicates. (Contains 8 tables, 2 figures, and 10 footnotes.)
Descriptors: Syntax, Vocabulary Development, Language Acquisition, Verbs, Classification, Linguistic Theory, Prediction, Language Research, English, Native Speakers, Computer Assisted Testing, Task Analysis, Grammar, Cues, Adults
Psychology Press. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: North Carolina
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A