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Quine's Conjecture: Learning Through Language

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Quine's Conjecture: Learning Through Language Imai, М & Септет, D. (гп ргевв). Liпguistic гelativity vs. ипгиегва1 ontology: сговв- liпguistic studies of the object substance disincrioп. Proceedings of the Chicago Linguistic Sociery,1993. Liпguistic гelativity vs. ипi Уегsа1 oпtology: сговв-liпguistic studies of the objeet/substaпce distiпctioп Минвитi Imai апд Дедге Септет Northwestern University Iпнгодиснiоп Тнеге is уепега1 аугеетепн that снг1дгеп have ргiлсiр1ев that guide ннет iп 1еагпiпу шогд теапiпув . Тне гарiдгty with which ннеу асуиiге woгds такев it ип1гке1у that ннеу go thгough ац 1оуiсацу роввiЫе теапгпув whеп iлferring the геfегепн of а поие1 шогд (( uiпe, 1960). Еог ехатр1е, Маг1апап's whole object сопsп- int states that снг1дгеп iпгtiа11у наке woгds ав арр1уiпу to objects, пон рагнв ог ргорегнгев оГ objects (Магктап, 1990 ; Baldwiп, 1989). Тне ргiпсiр1е of соппавн (С1агк, 1987) апд the тиниа1 exclиsivity аввитрцоп (Магктап & Wachtell, 1988) сарниге снг1дгеп's рrefегепсе fог опе4о-опе таррiпу Ьetween words алд objects . Тне нахопотiс сопвпзiпн (Магктап & Нинс1цпвоп, 1984 ; Иахтап & Kosowski, 1990) апд the внаре bias (Lапдаи, Sтith & 7опев, 1988) деа1 with the шау снг1дгеп ехнёпд поил теалiлув to new геfегепнв given that а шогд has Ьееп аррliед to ап object. Атопу the ргоровед theories of coпstraiпts, the objeсt-fiгst coлstгaint (Септет, 1982 Маг1стал, 1990; Baldwin 1989; Маспатага, 1982) seems to Ье the 1оуiса1 ргеседепн fог оннег coпstraiпts such as тиниа1 exclusiviry, the нахопотiс constraint апд the shape bias . Ношеиег, if the object-first сопвцаiпн does exist, it introduces а ргоЫет that wi11 пеед to Ье оиегсоте . That is, it сап Ье арр1iед оп1у iп 1еатiпу патев of objects, Ьин 1ю1 all поим аге object патев. Тне ргiпсiр1ев governiпg шогд теапiпу ехнепвiоп fог object патев апд substaлce патев аге ~ипдатепнаllу diffeгeпt, reflectiпg the fилдатепна1 опно1оуiса1 дгiТегепсе Ьеншееп object 1сiпдв апд substance 1апдв. Whi1e objects have discгete, "дгиiдед" геfегепсе, substances 1ike wateг have "всапегед" геfегепсе апд have the ветапtiс ргореrtу of referring сити1аtiие1у (( uiпe, 1960). Thus, апу ропгоп of water is also wa~er. Iп сопнгавн, а рогнгоп of ап object is пон also the вате object (е. ., the legs of а chair are пон а chair). Iп 1еатгпу пеш woгds, theп, how до реор1е, евресiа11у уоипу снг1дгеп, ргоjесн meaлings of woгds in таррiпу поие1 woгds to diffeгeпt 1сiпдв of eпtiries iл the шог1д? То ехатiпе this questioл, we first discuss two таjог views : Quine's (1969) сопjесниге апд the ипiУегва1 ontology view агуиед Ьу Soja, Сагеу & Spelke (1991) . Quine's conjecture: learning through language Quiпe (1960, 1969) роiпнед оин the iпвсгинаЫе пature of the refeгeпt of а шогд iп the аЬвепсе of а liпguistic арраганив w не1р fiх the геfегепсе . Wi[hiп [не рагоснга1 limits of оиг ошп language, we сап сопнгпие as а1шаув [о find ехнепвiопа1 [a1k с1еагег ннап iп[епдопа1 . .Еог [he iпденегтiпасу Ье[шееп "rabbi[," "гabbi[ s[age," алд [не гев[ дерепдед оп1у оп а сопе1ацие iпде[ептiпасу of [гапв1аtiоп of [не Eпglish аррага[us of vidua[ion--[не аррага[us of ргопоипв , р1ига1iхангоп, iдеп[i[у, numerals, anд sо оп. No such iпде[еппiпасу оЬнгидев so long as we [hiпk о Г [his аррага[us as giveп алд Гiхед. Giveп this аррагашв, [неге i$ по mys[ery аЬои[ 2 exteпsioп; сегтв have сне вате ехнепвiоп when ше of the вате thiпgs . At the 1е~е1 of гадiса1 traпslarioп , оп the оннвг.напд, eztensioп itself goes гпвсгинаЫе. (Quine, 1969, р . 35). Вавед оп this 1оуiса1 рroЫет of денегтiпiпу the геfегепн of а word, оиiпе (1960) furtheг вреси1анед that childreп епсоипнег ргоЫ етв й learning the ontological дг Гегепсе Ьеннееп eпtitieв haviпg дiиiдед геfеreпсе (i.e., objects) апд thosё haviпg "всаннегед" ог "сити1адуе" refereпce (i.e., вubstances апд atцibuteв) . Не а1во агуиед that ннеу аге агдед й та1апу this дгвппсtiоп Ьу 1еатiпу the угапiтангса1 distinctioп of courn/тass поим . А challenge to оигпе : uпiversal oпtology as а guidiпg force гп word learniпg Аесепду, оийе'в сопjеспие was сна11епуед Ьу а утоир of деие1ортепна1 psychologistв. Sоjа, Сагеу апд Spelke (1991) tested нон 2-уеаг-о1дв ргоjеснед шогд теапйув шнеп ннеу saw solid objects апд поп-solid substanceв й а word learnйg task. Снi1дгеп who над пон уен внонп е~гдепсе fог the awaгeпess of the соипн/тass subcategoгizarioп iп а ргодиснгоп tевt неге taught а пен шогд й а вупнасдс frате . T1iis frате was пеинга1 as to the соилн ша status of the поил (е.у., "Тнгв is ту Ыicke(" Ьин not "This is а Ыicket" ог "Тнiв is воте ЫickeP') . Iл опе сопдгtiоп, the word was giveп й the ргевепсе of а поие1 рнувiса1 object (e.g., а ругатiд таре of ноод). Тне childreп were ннеп showп two alternativeв : опе над the вате size апд внаре as the origiпal objeсt Ьин was таре out of а diffeгeпt танегiа1(e .g., а ругатгд таре оин of sculptiпg material са11ед Sирег Sси1ру) апд the оннег was готе рiвсев of the вате substance as the патед objeсt (e.g., pieces of ноод). Тнеу were asked to сноове which of the нно alternativeв was the Ыicket. Wheп ннеу неагд а по~е11аЬе1 й the рreвепсе of а лоие1 object, ннеу снове алоннег objeсt of the вате shape ганнег thaп рiесев of the вате виЬвнапсе, suggestiпg that ннеу аввитед the 1аЬе1 to Ье ап object паше, пон а виЬвнапсе паше . Iп the весопд сопдгдоп, а шогд was giveп й the ргевепсе of поп-во1iд вubstance (e.g., Nivea сгеат) апапуед iпto а distiпctive внаре . Agaiп, ннеу неге showп нно alternatives . Iп опе alternative, а differeпt kiпd of вubstance (e.g., haiг-setting gе1) was coпfigured й the вате shape as the патед вubstance ; й the оннег, the вате вubstance нав р1асед iпto ти1tiр1е piles. Iпteгestingly, й this сопдгtiоп childreп дгд пон ехнепд the пен 1аЬе1 оп the Ьasis оГ iдепtiса1 shape ав ннеу дгд шнеп ннеу saw поие1 objects . Ratheг, ннеу непдед to сноове the а1tегпаri уе which was of the вате sиbstance, пон the вате внаре . Soja et а1 . (1991) сопс1идед that снi1дгеп ипгиегваllу 1ион the сопсерниа1 дгвнгпсtiоп Ьеншееп objects апд виЬвнапсев ; they до пон пеед to 1еат this дistiпctioп thгough laпguage learniпg as оийе с1аiтед . Еипнег, ннеу агуие rnat childreп сап иве this сопсерниа1 distinctioп, which exists рriог to laпguage acquisitioп, to сопвнгай possiЫ е теапiпу of пен ногдв . Тнив childreп нill пон иве rhe object-fiгst сопвtrайн шнеп 1еатйу the шогдв fог поп-objeсt eпtities ; ганнег, frот the опоен of laпguage 1еатiпу, ннеу нill ргоjесн теалiпув of поие1 ногдв опно the пэанегiа1 сотропепн ннеп ннеу see поп- solid substanceв. Evaluatioп of the uпiversal oпtology view: Сап the data from Eпglish-speakiпg childreп а1опе stапд as е~iдепсе ? 3 То streпgtheп the с1аiт that the childreп'г woпi exteпsioпs неге Ьагед оп еаг1у knoнledge of oлtological distinctioпs ганнег йал асуиiгед frот гуннах, Sоjа, Сагеу алд Spelke (1991) теагигед the снг1дreп's ргодиснгие сопцпапд of соилн/тва8 вупнах алд fоипд по сопе1ангоп Ьеншееп productive соппо1 алд childreп's регГогтапсе оп нне word pгojection нагк. Ав а fипнег test of whetheг ннеге снг1дгеп неге iпflиепсед Ьу Eпgliгh гуннах, ннеу сопдиснед алоннег word-ехнепвiоп stиду нith the вате ауе гапуе, using ал iпfoгmative вупнаснгс frате that was consisteпt нith нне опно1оуiса1 stаtus of нне пен ногд's геfегепн (i .e., игйу соилн поил вупнах й нне object нгiа1г алд тагг поил гуннах й нне гиЬгналсе tcials). Тнеге was по differeпce й регГогтапсе оп нне task Ьеншееп нне снг1дгеп who гесеiиед the пеинга1 гуннах алд нноге who received нне iпГогтаtiуе гуннах . Аlthough these tests are сеrtаiп1у арргорггане, it is нон possiЫe но сопс1иде defiпitively that нне снi1дгеп had по насiн 1спон1едуе о Г тавв-соипн вупнах . Iл рагнгси1аг, а ргодиснгоп task тight лон Ье виГfiсiепду seпsitive но сарниге а11 that the 2-уеаг-olds-1иеш about соипн/mass поил угаттаг. Iл fact, whеп Soja (1992)1анег геиеггед the гупнасtiс снег го that нне соипн/ тавг вупнах was йсопуruелн нith нне опно1оугса1 муре (i.e., тass поил гуннах was used й нне object нгiа1г алд соипн поил вупнах was used й нне substалce trials), she (оипд that регГогталсе was гignificалtly ногте оп .Ьонн object алд substалce нriа1г ннап ннеп сопугиепн вупнах was used . Furtheг, Согдоп (1988) fоипд готе еиiделсе fог ал еаг1у (агоипд 1 :11) diгtributioп distiпctioп й the use of соипн поим алд тass поим. Согдоп (1988) а1го ройнв оин that нне fact that 17-толнн-olds сал use денегтiлегг но такс а ргорег поип/соттоп поил дгвtiпснгоп (Кант, Вакег & Маспатага, 1974), suggests готе сопцпалд of нне соипн/тass distiпctioп Ьеfоге 2 :0. Ейацу, Саннегсо1е'г (1986) геиiен iпdicates ипсегнаiлну about the ехнепн о Г 2-уеаг-о1д снг1дгеп'г kлowledge of соипн/тass угаттаг. То гего1ие the нноту issue of just how тисн снг1дгеп кпон about соипн/тass вулнах ан вресi гс ages, ал ideal test нои1д й~о1~е снг1дгеп нhose 1алуиауе lacks нне linguistic арраганив fог distйguiгhing objects алд substалceг . Тнгг нои1д гресiГiсаllу addгess нне с1агт of а 1апуиауе-iпдерепдепн univeгsal опно1оуу. Iл пiапу classifieг languages, the сгiнегiа fог thiг test аге тен . Ве1он, не нгц describe нне нау these lалguages subcategoгize eпtities й the ног1д алд нне possiЬe iтplications fог поил теапгпуг, Ьавйу оиг ала1угiг оп Lису's (1992) гесепн ноги оп Уисанес Мауал. Lису's апа1увгв of Уисанес Мауа Аг showп Ьу Lису (1992), Уисанес Мауал is а питега1 classifieг 1алуиауе . Iл his ала1угiг, Lису ргегирровев thгее Ьавiс опно1оугса1 types оп а сопtiпиит: [+апiтане], [- алiтане, + ]iscгete], [-алiтане, -дггсгене] 1. Нонеиег, here, не нг11 focus оп нне дотагп of [-алгтане] (iпс1идйу Ьонн [+discrete] алд [-дггсгене]), гйсе оиг тай сопсет й thiг рарег is how снг1дгеп алд adults ргоjесн word теалйуг fог йалiтане eпtities . Iп огдег но сотраге how Eпglish апд Уисанес Мауал дг~где нне сопtiпиит, Lису ехатiпед нне 1 Lису пotes that [+апгтане] тау have fiцннег subdivisioп . А ге1анед ргорова1 is Сгоfн's (1990, 112-113) Апiтасу Нгегагсну : Нитап / Nопнитап Апгтане / Iпапгтане Object / Substaпce.
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