Semantic Organization and Reference: Acquisition of Two Aspects of the Meaning of Color Terms

This study investigates acquisition of two aspects of the meaning of color terms: semantic organization and reference. A longitudinal, repeated measure design was used, and data were collected from 33 subjects, 2 to 4 years old at first testing. Four tasks were used: one to assess semantic organizat...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author Bartlett, Elsa Jaffe
Format Paper
LanguageEnglish
Published 01.03.1977
Subjects
Cognitive Development
Cognitive Processes
Color
Concept Formation
Language Acquisition
Preschool Children
Preschool Education
Semantics
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Summary:This study investigates acquisition of two aspects of the meaning of color terms: semantic organization and reference. A longitudinal, repeated measure design was used, and data were collected from 33 subjects, 2 to 4 years old at first testing. Four tasks were used: one to assess semantic organization (the acquisition of the superordinate/hyponymic relation between "color" and various color terms); two to assess acquisition of correct specific referents for color terms; and one to assess acquisition of a more general reference (knowing that color terms refer to the dimension of color as opposed to another dimension such as size). Results indicate that semantic organization precedes acquisition of correct specific referential meaning. Results from the general referential task show that most subjects had acquired an appropriate dimensional meaning. (Author/SB)
Bibliography:Paper presented at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development (New Orleans, Louisiana, March 17-20, 1977)