LIGN171: Child Language Acquisition http://ling.ucsd.edu/courses/lign171 http://ling.ucsd.edu/courses/lign171 LIGN171: Child Language Acquisition Moving beyond the lexicon Moving beyond the lexicon
An isolated lexicon? An isolated lexicon? Chapter 9: LDER Chapter 9: LDER
Main Point Main Point � Does word learning depend on: Does word learning depend on: � � A dedicated system A dedicated system � � that is different than any systems for other types of that is different than any systems for other types of � learning learning � General learning mechanisms General learning mechanisms � � that can learn more than just words that can learn more than just words � � If the latter, what type of general mechanism? If the latter, what type of general mechanism? �
Markson and Bloom and Bloom Markson � Is word learning similar to fact learning? Is word learning similar to fact learning? � � Fast mapping: Fast mapping: Novel words map onto objects Novel words map onto objects � which do not already have a name which do not already have a name � Is Is “ “fast mapping fast mapping” ” special to words? special to words? � � Tested 3 year olds, 4 year olds, undergraduates Tested 3 year olds, 4 year olds, undergraduates �
Words Words � 20 minute training phase 20 minute training phase � � Play a game with 10 different kinds of objects Play a game with 10 different kinds of objects � � Familiar objects Familiar objects � � Pennies, a pencil, a ruler, string Pennies, a pencil, a ruler, string � � Novel objects Novel objects � � Things that subjects are unable to name (6 different things) Things that subjects are unable to name (6 different things) � � Subjects were exposed to a new word Subjects were exposed to a new word “ “koba koba” ” for an for an � unfamiliar object unfamiliar object � “ “Let Let’ ’s measure the s measure the koba koba. We can count these to see how . We can count these to see how � long the koba long the koba is. We can put the is. We can put the koba koba away now. away now.” ” � “ “Let Let’ ’s use the s use the kobas kobas to measure which is longer. Line up the to measure which is longer. Line up the � kobas so we can count them. We can put the so we can count them. We can put the kobas kobas away away kobas now.” ” now.
and Facts and Facts � Subjects were presented with a novel fact: Subjects were presented with a novel fact: � � “ “We can use the things my uncle gave to me We can use the things my uncle gave to me � to measure which is longer. My uncle gave to measure which is longer. My uncle gave these to me. We can put the thing(s thing(s) my uncle ) my uncle these to me. We can put the gave to me away now. gave to me away now. � OR OR � � “ “Watch where this goes. This goes here Watch where this goes. This goes here � [subjects watch as sticker is put on unfamiliar [subjects watch as sticker is put on unfamiliar object]. That’ ’s where this goes. s where this goes.” ” object]. That
Learned words and facts? Learned words and facts? � Presented with array of 10 items Presented with array of 10 items � � Which one is the Which one is the koba koba? ? � � Which one was given to me by my uncle? OR Which one was given to me by my uncle? OR � � Put the sticker where it should go. Put the sticker where it should go. � � Tested for learning at three intervals: Tested for learning at three intervals: � � Immediately Immediately � � After a 1 After a 1- -week delay week delay � � After a 1 After a 1- -month delay month delay � � Why? Why? �
Multiple Memory Systems Multiple Memory Systems � Sensory memory Sensory memory � � Different systems for different senses Different systems for different senses � � Short term Short term “ “working working” ” memory memory � � Necessary for processing/manipulating information Necessary for processing/manipulating information � � Limited capacity Limited capacity � � Limited duration Limited duration � � Long term memory Long term memory � � “ “knowledge knowledge” ” �
Results Results � Word learning Word learning � � Children and adults remembered which object was the Children and adults remembered which object was the � koba at all three testing delays at all three testing delays koba � Adults were better than children immediately, but not after 1 Adults were better than children immediately, but not after 1 � week or 1 month week or 1 month � No decline in performance over time by any group No decline in performance over time by any group � � Fact learning Fact learning � � All subjects equally good at remembering which object All subjects equally good at remembering which object � “was given to me by my uncle “ was given to me by my uncle” ” � Children were better at fact learning than word learning when Children were better at fact learning than word learning when � tested immediately tested immediately � For sticker location For sticker location � � All subjects better immediately than after a delay All subjects better immediately than after a delay � � Children worse at this than at words or uncle Children worse at this than at words or uncle- -facts facts � � After one month, children are guessing (adults did slightly After one month, children are guessing (adults did slightly � better) better)
Is fast- -mapping special to words? mapping special to words? Is fast � Doesn Doesn’ ’t seem to be t seem to be – – both words and facts can both words and facts can � be fast- -mapped under similar conditions mapped under similar conditions be fast � BUT BUT – – maybe familiarity of maybe familiarity of ‘ ‘uncle uncle’ ’ as a word as a word � made fact learning easier than it should have made fact learning easier than it should have been been � Retested with word Retested with word ‘ ‘koba koba’ ’ and fact and fact ‘ ‘object came from object came from � a place called ‘ ‘Koba Koba’ ’ a place called � Equally good learning in both conditions Equally good learning in both conditions � � Learning that an object came from a Learning that an object came from a ‘ ‘place called place called � Koba’ ’ or was or was ‘ ‘given by my uncle given by my uncle’ ’ equally good equally good Koba
Conclusions Conclusions � Fast mapping applies to Fast mapping applies to � � Learning novel words Learning novel words � � Learning arbitrary facts about an object Learning arbitrary facts about an object � � Even when the fact contains a novel word Even when the fact contains a novel word � � Maybe not to any memorization task Maybe not to any memorization task � � Poor performance at location of sticker after one month Poor performance at location of sticker after one month � � Fast mapping limited to Fast mapping limited to – – � � Information conveyed through language? Information conveyed through language? � � Salient/interesting information? Salient/interesting information? � � Circumstances where object identity or category is more Circumstances where object identity or category is more � important than a property like location important than a property like location
Conclusions Conclusions � No critical period for fast mapping No critical period for fast mapping � � No advantage for children compared to adults No advantage for children compared to adults � � Children do seem better than adults at Children do seem better than adults at � learning phonology, morphology, syntax learning phonology, morphology, syntax � Word learning may be different than Word learning may be different than � learning other aspects of language learning other aspects of language
Declarative Memory Declarative Memory � Episodic memory ( Episodic memory (“ “remembering remembering” ”) ) � � Personally experienced Personally experienced ‘ ‘events events’ ’ � � Contextually encoded to specify place, time Contextually encoded to specify place, time � � Semantic memory ( Semantic memory (“ “knowing knowing” ”) ) � � Memory for Memory for ‘ ‘facts facts’ ’ � � Not bound to particular place, time Not bound to particular place, time � � Memory for words (mental lexicon) Memory for words (mental lexicon) �
Animals can do it too Animals can do it too � Border Collie Border Collie “ “Rico Rico” ” � � 9 years old 9 years old � � 200 word lexicon 200 word lexicon � � Vocabulary size Vocabulary size � comparable to that of comparable to that of trained apes, dolphins, sea trained apes, dolphins, sea lions, parrots lions, parrots � Can Can “ “fast fast- -map map” ” – – infer infer � meaning of new word meaning of new word based on presence of based on presence of novel item novel item
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