Acquiring Scope: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

本文以所收集的一個幼童由一歲到四歲多的自然語料為基礎，探討範域的習得。主要觀察的重點是否定詞與出現在動詞前的量化詞之間的範域關係。結果顯示此幼童在3;2對範域已有了初步的掌握，這個發現與其他的研究相比，在年齡上提前甚多（如：Lee 1991 推論幼童對範域的掌握需至6歲）。此外，根據此幼童從4;3 開始，已能正確使用如：「都」和「有」的範域標記來標示出現在動詞前的全稱量詞、疑問詞和期間詞組，以及到了4;5以後便能根據否定詞的出現與否決定期間詞組應該出現在動詞前抑或動詞後來看，此幼童至此階段對於範距的掌握已臻成熟。

Based on the spontaneous data of a Chinese-speaking child collected from 1 year old up to 4+ years old, this study focuses on the development of his scope by examining the scope interaction between negation and quantified NPs that occur in preverbal positions. It is found that the child is sensitive to scope at 3;2, an age much earlier than the age reported in other studies (e.g., age of 6 in Lee 1991). Further evidence shows that the child has mastered scope of negation and scope in general at the age of 4. First, starting from age 4;3, the child has managed to mark universal quantifiers and wh-phrases as well as duration phrases occurring in the preverbal position with scope markers such as dou ‘all’ and you ‘have’. Second, by the age of 4;5, the child has placed duration phrases in target positions in relation to negation.