Learners of most languages are faced with the task of acquiring words to talk about number and quantity. Much is known about the order of acquisition of number words as well as the cognitive and perceptual systems and cultural practices that shape it. Substantially less is known about the acquisition of quantifiers. Here, we consider the extent to which systems and practices that support number word acquisition can be applied to quantifier acquisition and conclude that the two domains are largely distinct in this respect. Consequently, we hypothesize that the acquisition of quantifiers is constrained by a set of factors related to each quantifier's specific meaning. We investigate competence with the expressions for "all," "none," "some," "some. not," and "most" in 31 languages, representing 11 language types, by testing 768 5-y-old children and 536 adults. We found a cross-linguistically similar order of acquisition of quantifiers, explicable in terms of four factors relating to their... meaning and use. In addition, exploratory analyses reveal that language-and learner-specific factors, such as negative concord and gender, are significant predictors of variation.
Keywords:
language acquisition / universals / quantifiers / semantics / pragmatics
Source:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2016, 113, 33, 9244-9249
Publisher:
Natl Acad Sciences, Washington
Funding / projects:
European Cooperation in Science and Technology Action A33 "Cross-Linguistically Robust Stages of Chi
European Science Foundation Euro-XPrag Network
United Kingdom Economic and Social Research Council XPrag-UK Network
United Kingdom British Academy Grant [SG090676]
Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad Project [FFI2014-56968-C4-1]
University of Cyprus Project [8037-61017]
Danish Council for Independent Research (Humanities) Grant [09-063957]
Estonian Science Foundation [ETF7492]
Estonian Research Council GrantEstonian Research Council [SF0180056s08]
European Commission for Education and Culture Grant [135295-LLP-2007-UK-KA1SCR]
German Federal Ministry of Education and Research Grant [01UG0711]
L. Meltzers Hoyskolefond
Polish Ministry of Science and Higher EducationMinistry of Science and Higher Education, Poland [809
National Science CentreNational Science Center, PolandNational Science Centre, Poland
TY - JOUR
AU - Katsos, Napoleon
AU - Cummins, Chris
AU - Ezeizabarrena, Maria-Jose
AU - Gavarro, Anna
AU - Kuvač-Kraljević, Jelena
AU - Hrzica, Gordana
AU - Grohmann, Kleanthes K.
AU - Skordi, Athina
AU - de Lopez, Kristine Jensen
AU - Sundahl, Lone
AU - van Hout, Angeliek
AU - Hollebrandse, Bart
AU - Overweg, Jessica
AU - Faber, Myrthe
AU - van Koert, Margreet
AU - Smith, Nafsika
AU - Vija, Maigi
AU - Zupping, Sirli
AU - Kunnari, Sari
AU - Morisseau, Tiffany
AU - Rusieshvili, Manana
AU - Yatsushiro, Kazuko
AU - Fengler, Anja
AU - Varlokosta, Spyridoula
AU - Konstantzou, Katerina
AU - Farby, Shira
AU - Guasti, Maria Teresa
AU - Vernice, Mirta
AU - Okabe, Reiko
AU - Isobe, Miwa
AU - Crosthwaite, Peter
AU - Hong, Yoonjee
AU - Balciuniene, Ingrida
AU - Nizar, Yanti Marina Ahmad
AU - Grech, Helen
AU - Gatt, Daniela
AU - Cheong, Win Nee
AU - Asbjornsen, Arve
AU - Torkildsen, Janne von Koss
AU - Haman, Ewa
AU - Miekisz, Aneta
AU - Gagarina, Natalia
AU - Puzanova, Julia
AU - Anđelković, Darinka
AU - Savić, Maja
AU - Jošić, Smiljana
AU - Slancova, Daniela
AU - Kapalkova, Svetlana
AU - Barberan, Tania
AU - Ozge, Duygu
AU - Hassan, Saima
AU - Chan, Cecilia Yuet Hung
AU - Okubo, Tomoya
AU - van der Lely, Heather
AU - Sauerland, Uli
AU - Noveck, Ira
PY - 2016
UR - http://ipir.ipisr.org.rs/handle/123456789/273
AB - Learners of most languages are faced with the task of acquiring words to talk about number and quantity. Much is known about the order of acquisition of number words as well as the cognitive and perceptual systems and cultural practices that shape it. Substantially less is known about the acquisition of quantifiers. Here, we consider the extent to which systems and practices that support number word acquisition can be applied to quantifier acquisition and conclude that the two domains are largely distinct in this respect. Consequently, we hypothesize that the acquisition of quantifiers is constrained by a set of factors related to each quantifier's specific meaning. We investigate competence with the expressions for "all," "none," "some," "some. not," and "most" in 31 languages, representing 11 language types, by testing 768 5-y-old children and 536 adults. We found a cross-linguistically similar order of acquisition of quantifiers, explicable in terms of four factors relating to their meaning and use. In addition, exploratory analyses reveal that language-and learner-specific factors, such as negative concord and gender, are significant predictors of variation.
PB - Natl Acad Sciences, Washington
T2 - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
T1 - Cross-linguistic patterns in the acquisition of quantifiers
EP - 9249
IS - 33
SP - 9244
VL - 113
DO - 10.1073/pnas.1601341113
ER -
@article{
author = "Katsos, Napoleon and Cummins, Chris and Ezeizabarrena, Maria-Jose and Gavarro, Anna and Kuvač-Kraljević, Jelena and Hrzica, Gordana and Grohmann, Kleanthes K. and Skordi, Athina and de Lopez, Kristine Jensen and Sundahl, Lone and van Hout, Angeliek and Hollebrandse, Bart and Overweg, Jessica and Faber, Myrthe and van Koert, Margreet and Smith, Nafsika and Vija, Maigi and Zupping, Sirli and Kunnari, Sari and Morisseau, Tiffany and Rusieshvili, Manana and Yatsushiro, Kazuko and Fengler, Anja and Varlokosta, Spyridoula and Konstantzou, Katerina and Farby, Shira and Guasti, Maria Teresa and Vernice, Mirta and Okabe, Reiko and Isobe, Miwa and Crosthwaite, Peter and Hong, Yoonjee and Balciuniene, Ingrida and Nizar, Yanti Marina Ahmad and Grech, Helen and Gatt, Daniela and Cheong, Win Nee and Asbjornsen, Arve and Torkildsen, Janne von Koss and Haman, Ewa and Miekisz, Aneta and Gagarina, Natalia and Puzanova, Julia and Anđelković, Darinka and Savić, Maja and Jošić, Smiljana and Slancova, Daniela and Kapalkova, Svetlana and Barberan, Tania and Ozge, Duygu and Hassan, Saima and Chan, Cecilia Yuet Hung and Okubo, Tomoya and van der Lely, Heather and Sauerland, Uli and Noveck, Ira",
year = "2016",
abstract = "Learners of most languages are faced with the task of acquiring words to talk about number and quantity. Much is known about the order of acquisition of number words as well as the cognitive and perceptual systems and cultural practices that shape it. Substantially less is known about the acquisition of quantifiers. Here, we consider the extent to which systems and practices that support number word acquisition can be applied to quantifier acquisition and conclude that the two domains are largely distinct in this respect. Consequently, we hypothesize that the acquisition of quantifiers is constrained by a set of factors related to each quantifier's specific meaning. We investigate competence with the expressions for "all," "none," "some," "some. not," and "most" in 31 languages, representing 11 language types, by testing 768 5-y-old children and 536 adults. We found a cross-linguistically similar order of acquisition of quantifiers, explicable in terms of four factors relating to their meaning and use. In addition, exploratory analyses reveal that language-and learner-specific factors, such as negative concord and gender, are significant predictors of variation.",
publisher = "Natl Acad Sciences, Washington",
journal = "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America",
title = "Cross-linguistic patterns in the acquisition of quantifiers",
pages = "9249-9244",
number = "33",
volume = "113",
doi = "10.1073/pnas.1601341113"
}
Katsos, N., Cummins, C., Ezeizabarrena, M., Gavarro, A., Kuvač-Kraljević, J., Hrzica, G., Grohmann, K. K., Skordi, A., de Lopez, K. J., Sundahl, L., van Hout, A., Hollebrandse, B., Overweg, J., Faber, M., van Koert, M., Smith, N., Vija, M., Zupping, S., Kunnari, S., Morisseau, T., Rusieshvili, M., Yatsushiro, K., Fengler, A., Varlokosta, S., Konstantzou, K., Farby, S., Guasti, M. T., Vernice, M., Okabe, R., Isobe, M., Crosthwaite, P., Hong, Y., Balciuniene, I., Nizar, Y. M. A., Grech, H., Gatt, D., Cheong, W. N., Asbjornsen, A., Torkildsen, J. v. K., Haman, E., Miekisz, A., Gagarina, N., Puzanova, J., Anđelković, D., Savić, M., Jošić, S., Slancova, D., Kapalkova, S., Barberan, T., Ozge, D., Hassan, S., Chan, C. Y. H., Okubo, T., van der Lely, H., Sauerland, U.,& Noveck, I.. (2016). Cross-linguistic patterns in the acquisition of quantifiers. in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Natl Acad Sciences, Washington., 113(33), 9244-9249.
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1601341113
Katsos N, Cummins C, Ezeizabarrena M, Gavarro A, Kuvač-Kraljević J, Hrzica G, Grohmann KK, Skordi A, de Lopez KJ, Sundahl L, van Hout A, Hollebrandse B, Overweg J, Faber M, van Koert M, Smith N, Vija M, Zupping S, Kunnari S, Morisseau T, Rusieshvili M, Yatsushiro K, Fengler A, Varlokosta S, Konstantzou K, Farby S, Guasti MT, Vernice M, Okabe R, Isobe M, Crosthwaite P, Hong Y, Balciuniene I, Nizar YMA, Grech H, Gatt D, Cheong WN, Asbjornsen A, Torkildsen JVK, Haman E, Miekisz A, Gagarina N, Puzanova J, Anđelković D, Savić M, Jošić S, Slancova D, Kapalkova S, Barberan T, Ozge D, Hassan S, Chan CYH, Okubo T, van der Lely H, Sauerland U, Noveck I. Cross-linguistic patterns in the acquisition of quantifiers. in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2016;113(33):9244-9249.
doi:10.1073/pnas.1601341113 .
Katsos, Napoleon, Cummins, Chris, Ezeizabarrena, Maria-Jose, Gavarro, Anna, Kuvač-Kraljević, Jelena, Hrzica, Gordana, Grohmann, Kleanthes K., Skordi, Athina, de Lopez, Kristine Jensen, Sundahl, Lone, van Hout, Angeliek, Hollebrandse, Bart, Overweg, Jessica, Faber, Myrthe, van Koert, Margreet, Smith, Nafsika, Vija, Maigi, Zupping, Sirli, Kunnari, Sari, Morisseau, Tiffany, Rusieshvili, Manana, Yatsushiro, Kazuko, Fengler, Anja, Varlokosta, Spyridoula, Konstantzou, Katerina, Farby, Shira, Guasti, Maria Teresa, Vernice, Mirta, Okabe, Reiko, Isobe, Miwa, Crosthwaite, Peter, Hong, Yoonjee, Balciuniene, Ingrida, Nizar, Yanti Marina Ahmad, Grech, Helen, Gatt, Daniela, Cheong, Win Nee, Asbjornsen, Arve, Torkildsen, Janne von Koss, Haman, Ewa, Miekisz, Aneta, Gagarina, Natalia, Puzanova, Julia, Anđelković, Darinka, Savić, Maja, Jošić, Smiljana, Slancova, Daniela, Kapalkova, Svetlana, Barberan, Tania, Ozge, Duygu, Hassan, Saima, Chan, Cecilia Yuet Hung, Okubo, Tomoya, van der Lely, Heather, Sauerland, Uli, Noveck, Ira, "Cross-linguistic patterns in the acquisition of quantifiers" in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 113, no. 33 (2016):9244-9249,
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1601341113 . .
