Conceptual-intentional bootstrapping in the acquisition of the English verb
In the thesis I argue that intentionality, infant subjective knowledge and metacognitive growth, all interact to constrain and focus language acquisition to an inevitable and successful outcome. Neither innate UG, nor emergent usage based theories adequately address these elements and the literature review reveals that some or all them are either assumed, side-lined or left unconsidered by standard bootstrapping hypotheses. When foregrounded however, these elements can be demonstrated to provide a bridge between the conceptual and syntactic systems. I show that initially, infantsâ utterances focus on the âhere-and-nowâ in joint attention, and they express infant subjective knowledge about how dynamic properties are attributive of substantive objects/entities. Uses of apparent nominal and verbal forms lack their typical grammatical function. Infants around 18months old, experience an inherent meta-cognitive development, which enables them to collate representations of Manifest Events, alongside a contrasting, constructed representation of a desired or intentional state of affairs. These Complex Events involve sub-events which are not currently in shared attention. Associated utterances involve intentions
Parr, N.
Conceptual-intentional bootstrapping in the acquisition of the English verb. In the thesis I argue that intentionality, infant subjective knowledge and metacognitive growth, all interact to constrain and focus language acquisition to an inevitable and successful outcome. Neither innate UG, nor emergent usage based theories adequately address these elements and the literature review reveals that some or all them are either assumed, side-lined or left unconsidered by standard bootstrapping hypotheses. When foregrounded however, these elements can be demonstrated to provide a bridge between the conceptual and syntactic systems. I show that initially, infantsâ utterances focus on the âhere-and-nowâ in joint attention, and they express infant subjective knowledge about how dynamic properties are attributive of substantive objects/entities. Uses of apparent nominal and verbal forms lack their typical grammatical function. Infants around 18months old, experience an inherent meta-cognitive development, which enables them to collate representations of Manifest Events, alongside a contrasting, constructed representation of a desired or intentional state of affairs. These Complex Events involve sub-events which are not currently in shared attention. Associated utterances involve intentions
conceptual intentional acquisition_english verb argue intentionality infant subjective knowledge metacognitive growth interact constrain focus language_acquisition inevitable successful outcome neither innate emergent usage base theory adequately address element literature_review reveals either assume side left standard hypothesis foreground however element demonstrate provide bridge conceptual syntactic system show initially infant utterance focus here and now joint attention express infant subjective knowledge dynamic property attributive substantive objects entities uses apparent nominal_verbal form lack typical grammatical_function infants experience inherent meta cognitive development enables collate representation manifest events alongside contrast construct representation desire intentional_state affair complex events involve sub events currently share attention associated utterance involve intention