National Social Science Fund Project Library · Linguistic Research · Acquisition of Grammar, Semantics and Pragmatics: Research Based on Argument Structure and Quantificational Logic

范莉Jinan University Press · ChinaOct 2023

Rating 3.8
Word count
136K words
Chapters
17
ISBN
9787566831811

Tags

Language and Writing Child LanguageArgument StructureLanguage AcquisitionLinguistic UniversalsQuantitative LogicPragmatic MeaningAcademic MonographEmpirical ResearchGrammar Research

Summary

Drawing on natural corpus data and language test results, this book opens with a discussion of linguistic universals and differences, the "nature versus nurture" debate in language acquisition, and Plato's problem in language research, before focusing on the acquisition of verbs and verb argument structure, with particular attention to structures and non-canonical word orders that are distinctive in Chinese, and finally linking to the acquisition of the logical and pragmatic meanings of quantificational expressions related to argument features and word-order properties. The book seeks to identify and demonstrate, through empirical data on argument structure and quantificational logic at the cognitive and linguistic levels, the regularity and similarity in the acquisition of these two types of abstract knowledge.

Editor's review

The Acquisition of Syntax, Semantics, and Pragmatics: Studies Based on Argument Structure and Quantificational Logic is a scholarly monograph by Professor Fan Li, written on the basis of her National Social Science Fund research project. The book focuses on a central challenge in language acquisition research—the interface between argument structure and quantificational logic—and explores, through rigorous experimental design and theoretical analysis, how native Chinese speakers and second language learners acquire and process complex syntax-semantics interface knowledge. Combining generative grammar theory with experimental linguistic methods, Professor Fan Li not only systematically reviews the relevant domestic and international literature but also provides empirical data grounded in Chinese facts, making important contributions to formal linguistics, language acquisition, and cognitive science.

The value of the book lies in its interdisciplinary perspective and solid empirical foundation. The author does not stop at theoretical speculation but reveals, through child language production experiments, adult acceptability judgment tasks, and other methods, the concrete manifestations and developmental trajectories of abstract knowledge such as quantifier scope and argument selection in the acquisition process. For researchers concerned with linguistic universals and specificity, language acquisition mechanisms, or the syntax-semantics interface, the book offers rich Chinese data and profound theoretical insights. Its exposition is clear and its data detailed; even for readers who do not specialize in formal syntax, the chapters on experimental design and data analysis are of high methodological reference value.

Overall, this is a major work that reflects the international vision and rigorous scholarship of contemporary Chinese linguists. It is not only an in-depth exploration of a specific topic but also a demonstration of how to combine cutting-edge international theory with Chinese linguistic facts. For scholars, doctoral students, and advanced master's students who wish to conduct empirical research in language acquisition or formal linguistics, this book is an excellent research model and reference resource.

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Reading tips

  1. It is recommended to read the literature review and theoretical framework in Chapter 1 first to grasp the book's problem awareness and theoretical foundations
  2. For the experimental chapters, focus on the research design, variable control, and logic of data analysis rather than getting bogged down in all statistical details
  3. While reading, relate the book's Chinese-based findings to your own research interests and consider how they confirm, revise, or challenge relevant theoretical models

About the publisher

Jinan University Press China · Founded in 1989

Jinan University Press is a comprehensive university press known for publishing in language and writing, history and culture, and medicine. Judging from the 2,481 titles in the database, its publishing focuses on language and writing research, the compilation of unearthed documents, Chinese culture and Eastern philosophy, traditional Chinese medicine, and grassroots medical standards. Representative books include the Chinese Dictionary (Second Edition), the series on the collected interpretation and modern translation of Warring States documents from the Language Services Series and the series on the language of unearthed documents, Chinese Cultural Psychology (6th Edition), Illustrated Compendium of Traditional Chinese Medicine Processing Techniques, and Construction and Technical Standards for Standardized Bronchoscopy Rooms in Primary-Level Pediatrics. In terms of authors, scholars such as Zhu Cheng, Zhang Yujin, Wang Fengyan, Zheng Hong, Cao Hui and Ma Zhiguo form its author base in language and documents, cultural psychology, and traditional Chinese medicine. In terms of publishing characteristics, the press emphasizes the collected interpretation and modern translation of unearthed documents and language service research, while also systematically organizing cultural psychology and medical techniques. Public information on specific matters such as overseas Chinese-language education is limited and is therefore not elaborated here.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 作者简介
  3. 前言
  4. 第一篇 语言共性与柏拉图问题
  5. 第一章 普遍语法与社会—文化决定论
  6. 第二篇 语法与语义的习得∶动词与动词论元结构的习得
  7. 第二章 动词的儿童早期习得
  8. 第三章 心理动词及其论元结构的习得
  9. 第一节 汉语心理动词及其论元结构的早期习得
  10. 第二节 英语心理动词及其论元结构的习得
  11. 第四章 提升动词及其论元结构的习得
  12. 第一节 汉语提升动词及其论元结构的习得
  13. 第二节 英语提升动词及其论元结构的习得
  14. 第三篇 语法与语义的习得∶量化逻辑的习得
  15. 第五章 数词等级隐含的习得
  16. 第六章 情态词等级隐含的习得
  17. 参考文献

FAQ

What prior knowledge is required to read this book? Basic knowledge of formal syntax (e.g., fundamental concepts within the generative grammar framework) and a basic understanding of psycholinguistics/experimental methods are required. Familiarity with core issues in argument structure, quantification theory, and language acquisition will be highly beneficial.
What are the main research findings of this book? Through a series of experiments, the book systematically reveals the cognitive mechanisms and developmental patterns of native Chinese-speaking children and adults in acquiring and processing phenomena such as quantifier scope and argument structure alternations. It provides important Chinese empirical evidence for understanding the acquisition of syntax-semantics interface knowledge and tests and discusses relevant theoretical hypotheses.
What are the distinctive features of this book compared with similar studies abroad? The book's distinctive feature lies in taking Chinese as its primary object of study, combining cutting-edge formal linguistic theories (especially argument structure and quantification theory) with rigorous experimental methods to investigate the acquisition patterns of a language type like Chinese, which lacks rich morphological marking. It enriches the typological perspective of language acquisition research and offers theoretical reflections grounded in Chinese facts.

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About the author

范莉 Author

Fan Li is an author about whom limited public information is currently available; her field of study falls within language and linguistics. One work by her is included in this database, namely Syntax, Semantics, and Pragmatics Acquisition: A Study Based on Argument Structure and Quantificational Logic, a volume in the National Social Science Fund Project Library series on linguistics. As the title indicates, the book is a scholarly monograph in linguistics, selected for the National Social Science Fund Project Library, which suggests that its topic and research passed the relevant project review and compilation procedures. The work focuses on acquisition at the levels of syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, using argument structure and quantificational logic as its analytical entry points, reflecting an approach that combines syntactic theory with logical semantics. Because no clear record of the author's education, institutional affiliation, or academic career is available, no speculation is offered here; readers may treat this work as direct material for understanding her research subject and writing style.