Global and Local Feature Distinctiveness Effects in Language Acquisition

Autor/in	Siew, Cynthia S. Q.
Titel	Global and Local Feature Distinctiveness Effects in Language Acquisition
Quelle	In: Cognitive Science, 45 (2021) 7, (11 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1551-6709
DOI	10.1111/cogs.13008
Schlagwörter	Second Language Learning; Semantics; Vocabulary Development; Databases; Networks; Global Approach; English (Second Language); Age Differences; Role; Predictor Variables + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Zweitsprachenerwerb; Semantik; Wortschatzarbeit; Datenbank; Globales Denken; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Age; Difference; Age difference; Altersunterschied; Rollen; Prädiktor
Abstract	Various aspects of semantic features drive early vocabulary development, but less is known about how the global and local structure of the overall semantic feature space influences language acquisition. A feature network of English words was constructed from a large database of adult feature production norms such that edges in the network represented feature distances between words (i.e., Manhattan distances of probability distributions of features elicited for each pair of words). A word's global feature distinctiveness is measured with respect to all other words in the network and a word's local feature distinctiveness is measured relative to words in sub-networks derived from clustering analyses. This paper investigates how feature distinctiveness of individual words at local and global scales of the network influences language acquisition. Regression analyses indicate that global feature distinctiveness was associated with earlier age of acquisition ratings, and was a stronger predictor of age of acquisition than local feature distinctiveness. These results suggest that the global structure of the semantic feature network could play an important role in language acquisition, whereby globally distinctive concepts help to structure vocabulary development over the lifespan. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01