A study on the acquisition of verbs and grammatical constructions in English: from the perspective of cognitive linguistics and construction grammar

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24520541
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: English linguistics
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: TANIGUCHI KAZUMI 京都大学, 人間・環境学研究科(研究院), 准教授 (80293992)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): FUKADA Chie 京都工芸繊維大学, 基盤科学系, 准教授 (70340891)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 言語獲得 / 構文文法 / 事態把握 / 中間態 / 移動事象

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aims to examine the acquisition of English grammar and constructions from the theoretical viewpoint of cognitive linguistics and construction grammar, and to provide a cognitively adequate model of language acquisition. The survey employs CHILDES (MacWhinny 2000), the database of conversations between children and adults. This method enables quantitative research as well as detailed observations on the gradual emergence of children’s grammar based upon actual instances of utteranes, and eventually shows the efficiency of the usage-based approach to this issue. Specifically handled here are (i) middle voice and transitive-intransitive alternations, (ii) motion-event expressions and (iii) location/setting-subject constructions in English. The present study has clarified grammatical and semantic properties in children’s use of these linguistics forms and suggested a significant correlation between grammar acquisition and cognitive development concerning event construal.

Free Research Field

認知言語学