Acquisition of Numerical Classifiers by Japanese Preschoolers : Does Ontological Knowledge of the Animate/Inanimate Distinction Help Them?

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  • 幼児における助数詞の理解 : 存在論的カテゴリーに注目して
  • ヨウジ ニ オケル ジョスウシ ノ リカイ ソンザイロンテキ カテゴリー ニ チュウモク シテ

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Abstract

Numerical classifiers are morphemes that follow numerals when counting objects. In Japanese, classifiers for counting inanimate objects and those for counting animals are different. The present study investigated whether ontological knowledge about the animate/inanimate distinction helps children to acquire numerical classifiers. Four year-olds (N=21), 5 year-olds (N=26), and 6 year-olds (N=27) answered questions about whether a puppet was using classifiers correctly to count objects. It was predicted that it would be easier for children to identify the puppet's errors when counting inanimate objects with the wrong animal classifier, compared with detecting errors when animals were counted using the wrong animal classifier. The results confirmed this prediction, but only for the 6 year-old participants. This suggests that from age 6 children can utilize ontological knowledge about the animate/inanimate distinction when deciding what classifier to use to count objects. In addition, even the 4 and 5 year-old children were able to correctly use the classifiers corresponding to a basiclevel category.

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