Do Children Interpret ‘Marked’ Comparative Adjectives as Their Opposites?
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-1976
Abstract
Children aged 2;6-4;o were asked questions containing comparative and superlative forms of adjectives from pairs designated as unmarked/marked or simply positive/negative. Children’s answers required a choice of one out of five objects. Differences in frequency of correct responses were generally greater between unmarked/marked pairs than between simple positive/ negative pairs, but the response of ‘greatest extent’ to marked adjective questions was seldom a significantly common error. Linguistic arguments for the unmarked/marked distinction in comparative adjectives are reviewed, and it is concluded that there is no linguistic or behavioural evidence for a marking explanation of children’s difficulty with ‘marked’ comparative adjectives.
DOI
10.1017/S030500090000725X
MSU Digital Commons Citation
Townsend, David, "Do Children Interpret ‘Marked’ Comparative Adjectives as Their Opposites?" (1976). Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works. 183.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/psychology-facpubs/183