When is it best to hear a verb? The effects of the timing and focus of verb models on children's learning of verbs

Abstract

This paper explores the effects of certain aspects of verb input on verb acquisition. It has been observed that the timing of a verb model affects children's learning of the verb (Tomasello & Kruger, 1992). It has also been observed that the focus of the event to which the verb refers affects the argument structure children assign to the verb (Pinker, 1989). This experiment investigated the interaction between the timing of verb models and the focus of the events to which they refer. Thirty children aged from 2;3 to 3;6 heard two novel verbs, one movement focused and the other result focused. Half heard the verbs before the event (impending condition) and half after it (completed condition). An interaction of verb timing and verb focus was found. The movement verb was learned better in the impending condition and the result verb in the completed condition. The contribution of this finding to our understanding of the processes involved in verb acquisition is considered.