In this proposal, we examine a purported case of linguistic relativity. Specifically, could the crosslinguistic differences in the marking of count-mass status affect speakers' individuation criteria? Lucy (1992) argued that nouns of languages unmarked in count-mass status (e.g., Yucatec, Japanese) are unspecified in quantificational unit, and hence typically refer to the substance or material composition of an object. In contrast, the count nouns in languages like English are specified in unit, thus they typically refer to the form or shape of an object. Because of this difference, Lucy argued that Yucatec speakers will focus on the substance, while English speakers will focus on the form/object. His prediction is backed by experimental data. Others have argued that there are alternative interpretations of the data. We therefore propose three experiments to assess whether the linguistic relativity claim is correct. Experiment 1 checks whether the crosslinguistic effects are strongly replicable even when previous methodological concerns are addressed. Experiment 2 asks whether Lucy's analysis of the nouns is correct. Experiment 3 asks how language-specific patterns interact with cognitive universals. We hope that understanding the nature of the linguistic influence could also contribute to the recent debate on whether the acquisition of grammatical categories serves as the source of conceptual reorganization.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F32)
Project #
5F32HD043532-03
Application #
6847812
Study Section
Biobehavioral and Behavioral Processes 3 (BBBP)
Program Officer
Mccardle, Peggy D
Project Start
2003-02-01
Project End
2006-01-31
Budget Start
2005-02-01
Budget End
2006-01-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2005
Total Cost
$48,296
Indirect Cost
Name
Harvard University
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
082359691
City
Cambridge
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02138
Shusterman, Anna; Li, Peggy (2016) Frames of reference in spatial language acquisition. Cogn Psychol 88:115-61
Li, Peggy; Abarbanell, Linda; Gleitman, Lila et al. (2011) Spatial reasoning in Tenejapan Mayans. Cognition 120:33-53
Li, Peggy; Huang, Becky; Hsiao, Yaling (2010) Learning that classifiers count: Mandarin-speaking children's acquisition of sortal and mensural classifiers. J East Asian Ling 19:207-230
Li, Peggy; Dunham, Yarrow; Carey, Susan (2009) Of substance: the nature of language effects on entity construal. Cogn Psychol 58:487-524
Li, Peggy; Barner, David; Huang, Becky H (2008) Classifiers as Count Syntax: Individuation and Measurement in the Acquisition of Mandarin Chinese. Lang Learn Dev 4:249
Papafragou, Anna; Li, Peggy; Choi, Youngon et al. (2007) Evidentiality in language and cognition. Cognition 103:253-99