Abstract
Forty-eight adult subjects were tested for their comprehension of the locative prepositionsin front of, in back of, ahead of, andbehind in an object manipulation task using two sets of referent objects: fronted and nonfronted. Nonfronted (deictic) objects were employed to verify a locative comprehension model (the canonical encounter) proposed by H. Clark. Results indicated near unanimous interpretation under fronted object conditions, while use of nonfronted objects resulted in inconsistent responses not uniformly supportive of the canonical encounter model. An alternative comprehension strategy is suggested. Implications of results to developmental and disordered language studies are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abkarian, G. G. More negative findings for positive prepositions.Journal of Child Language, in press.
Anderson, J. M.The grammar of case: Toward a localistic theory. London: Cambridge University Press, 1971.
Anglin, J.Word, object, and conceptual development. New York: W. W. Norton, 1977.
Bennett, D..Spatial and temporal uses of English prepositions. London: Longman, 1975.
Bierswisch, M. On certain problems of semantic representation.Foundations of Language, 1967,3, 1–36.
Bloom, L., & Lahey, M.Language development and language disorders. New York: Wiley, 1978.
Chafe, W.Meaning and the structure of language. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1970.
Clark, E. What's in a word? On the child's acquisition of semantics in his first language. In T. Moore (Ed.),Cognitive development and the acquisition of language. New York: Academic Press, 1973.
Clark, E. Here's the top: Non-linguistic strategies in the acquisition of orientational terms.Child Development. 1980,51, 329–338.
Clark, H. Space, time, semantics and the child. In T. Moore (Ed.),Cognitive development and the acquisition of language. New York: Academic Press, 1973.
Cox, M. Young children's understanding of “in front of” and “behind” in the placement of objects.Journal of Child Language, 1979,6, 371–374.
Greenfield, P., & Smith, J.The structure of communication in early language development. New York: Academic Press, 1976.
Johnston, J.A study of spatial thought and expression: “in back” and“in front.” Doctoral dissertation, University of California, Berkeley, 1979.
Johnston, J. R., & Slobin, D. The development of locative expressions in English, Italian, Serbo-Croatian and Turkish.Journal of Child Language, 1979,6, 529–546.
Kintsch, H.The representation of meaning in memory. Hillsdale, New Jersey: Erlbaum, 1974.
Kucera, H., & Francis, W.Computational analysis of present-day American English. Providence: Brown University Press, 1967.
Kuczaj, S., & Maratsos, M. On the acquisition of front, back and side.Child Development, 1975,46, 202–210.
Leech, G.Towards a semantic description of English. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1970.
Lyons, J.Semantics (Vol. 2). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1977.
McNeil, M., & Prescott, T.Revised token test. Baltimore: University Park Press, 1978.
Nelson, K. E. (Ed.)Children's language (Vol. 1). New York: Gardner Press, 1978.
Rosch, E. Cognitive representations of semantic categories.Journal of Experimental Psychology, General, 1975,104, 192–233.
Solomon, J. Two prepositions of place in Thai and English: An investigation using the Token Test.Proceedings of the Mid-American Linguistics Conference, 1976.
Steinberg, D., & Jakobovitz, L. (Eds.).Semantics. London: Cambridge University Press, 1971.
Takahashi, G. Perception of space and the function of certain English prepositions.Language Learning, 1969,11 (3,4), 217–234.
Teller, P. Some discussion and extension of M. Bierswisch's work on German adjectivals.Foundations of Language, 1969,5, 185–217.
Washington, D., & Naremore, R. Children's use of spatial prepositions in two and three dimensional tasks.Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 1978,21, 151–165.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Abkarian, G.G. Comprehension of deictic locatives: The object “Behind” it. J Psycholinguist Res 11, 229–245 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01067566
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01067566