The development of comprehension of double negation in Chinese children

Abstract

Children's comprehension of double negation in Chinese was tested by asking them to carry out actions with dolls according to stimuli sentences containing double negation. It was found that young children interpreted double negation just as simple negation. A small subgroup of older children interpreted a double negation either as a simple negation or as an equivalent to a positive meaning inconsistently. Only the oldest subgroup of children consistently interpreted double negative sentences as equivalent to affirmative sentences. The reasons for the late acquisition of double negation and the chance performance at the transitional stage are discussed.