Abstract
Based on the naturalistic data from four children (aged from 00;10 to 02;06) and experimental data from 60 children (aged from four to eight years old) and 15 adults, the study proposes that Mandarin speakers’ judgment about the scope assignment between negation and universal quantification is attributed to the interplay of several influential factors: word order, lexical semantics of logical expressions, structural complexity, conversational implicature, and felicity in the use of negation. Knowledge about the vital importance of word order in the grammar of Mandarin-speaking adults is not initially present in the grammar of children, but is gradually acquired. They initially rely excessively on lexical semantics in interpreting scope, sometimes leading to non-adult interpretations. Full mastery of scope knowledge comes when they become fully aware of the prominent role of isomorphism, at age 6 or 7.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
