TY - JOUR
T1 - Genericity and the interpretation of the copulas by Spanish-speaking children
AU - Beausire, Carolina Holtheuer
AU - Miller, Karen
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank Ziping Li for taking care of the zebrafish and embryos during this study, and Therisa Chun for assistance in image processing. This work was supported by a startup package and an NIH grant (R01GM58537-01A1) to S.J.D. This publication is contribution number 588 from the Center of Marine Biotechnology, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute.
PY - 2015/6
Y1 - 2015/6
N2 - In Spanish the copulas ser and estar correlate with generic and specific interpretations, respectively. Likewise, both adjective types (scalar vs. non-scalar) and animacy of the sentential subject have been found to impact generic vs. specific interpretations in speakers. The current study extends upon previous research by investigating the interplay between copula, adjective type, and animacy in children's ability to access the generic vs. specific readings of the two copulas. The results of two comprehension experiments indicate that children treat the two copulas differently, associating ser + adjective constructions to generic interpretations significantly more often than they do for estar + adjective constructions. Nevertheless, the results also show that children do not reach adult levels on their interpretation of estar + adjective constructions. Instead, children's performance also depends on adjective type (scalar vs. non-scalar) and animacy of the subject. The results suggest that children have knowledge of the generic and existential interpretations associated with ser and estar, but that, in addition, they use the semantic structure of adjectives and their knowledge of the world (typicality of properties and how they apply to animate v. inanimate subjects) to assign generic and existential interpretations to the copulas.
AB - In Spanish the copulas ser and estar correlate with generic and specific interpretations, respectively. Likewise, both adjective types (scalar vs. non-scalar) and animacy of the sentential subject have been found to impact generic vs. specific interpretations in speakers. The current study extends upon previous research by investigating the interplay between copula, adjective type, and animacy in children's ability to access the generic vs. specific readings of the two copulas. The results of two comprehension experiments indicate that children treat the two copulas differently, associating ser + adjective constructions to generic interpretations significantly more often than they do for estar + adjective constructions. Nevertheless, the results also show that children do not reach adult levels on their interpretation of estar + adjective constructions. Instead, children's performance also depends on adjective type (scalar vs. non-scalar) and animacy of the subject. The results suggest that children have knowledge of the generic and existential interpretations associated with ser and estar, but that, in addition, they use the semantic structure of adjectives and their knowledge of the world (typicality of properties and how they apply to animate v. inanimate subjects) to assign generic and existential interpretations to the copulas.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84954161483&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84954161483&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4067/s0718-48832015000100006
DO - 10.4067/s0718-48832015000100006
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84954161483
SN - 0033-698X
VL - 53
SP - 107
EP - 130
JO - RLA
JF - RLA
IS - 1
ER -