Static and dynamic location in French
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Maya Hickmann✝
Abstract
Cross-linguistic research has renewed old questions concerning universal vs. language-specific determinants of child language. Our experiments show differences in how French vs. English speakers from three years on talk about static and dynamic spatial entities. In English frequent satellites encode static spatial relations or path, verb roots focus on posture or manner. French verbs express varied information about location or caused motion (entity properties, manner of attachment, functional disposition) and focus on path with spontaneous motion. Developmental progressions occur in both languages, but most strikingly in French, where children increasingly rely on verbs and combine them with other devices in denser utterances. The discussion highlights how such variations in information locus and focus may affect language and cognitive development.
Abstract
Cross-linguistic research has renewed old questions concerning universal vs. language-specific determinants of child language. Our experiments show differences in how French vs. English speakers from three years on talk about static and dynamic spatial entities. In English frequent satellites encode static spatial relations or path, verb roots focus on posture or manner. French verbs express varied information about location or caused motion (entity properties, manner of attachment, functional disposition) and focus on path with spontaneous motion. Developmental progressions occur in both languages, but most strikingly in French, where children increasingly rely on verbs and combine them with other devices in denser utterances. The discussion highlights how such variations in information locus and focus may affect language and cognitive development.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors vii
- Introduction 1
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Part I. Spatial Entities and the Structures of Languages: Descriptive Work
- A taxonomy of basic natural entities 35
- On the spatial meaning of contre in French 53
- The prepositions par and à travers and the categorization of spatial entities in French 71
- The linguistic categorization of spatial entities 93
- The expression of semantic components and the nature of ground entity in orientation motion verbs 123
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Part II. Spatial categorization in language and cognition
- Categorizing spatial entities with frontal orientation 153
- Containment, support, and beyond 177
- Static and dynamic location in French 205
- Precursors to spatial language 233
- The sources of spatial cognition 247
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Part III. Characterizing categories of spatial entities: Formal ontology
- From language to ontology 269
- The temporal essence of spatial objects 285
- Part-of relations, functionality and dependence 307
- Objects, locations and complex types. 337
- Language index 363
- Subject index 365
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Contributors vii
- Introduction 1
-
Part I. Spatial Entities and the Structures of Languages: Descriptive Work
- A taxonomy of basic natural entities 35
- On the spatial meaning of contre in French 53
- The prepositions par and à travers and the categorization of spatial entities in French 71
- The linguistic categorization of spatial entities 93
- The expression of semantic components and the nature of ground entity in orientation motion verbs 123
-
Part II. Spatial categorization in language and cognition
- Categorizing spatial entities with frontal orientation 153
- Containment, support, and beyond 177
- Static and dynamic location in French 205
- Precursors to spatial language 233
- The sources of spatial cognition 247
-
Part III. Characterizing categories of spatial entities: Formal ontology
- From language to ontology 269
- The temporal essence of spatial objects 285
- Part-of relations, functionality and dependence 307
- Objects, locations and complex types. 337
- Language index 363
- Subject index 365
