Universal linguistic hierarchies are not innately wired. Evidence from multiple adjectives.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Linguists and psychologists have explained the remarkable similarities in the orderings of linguistic elements across languages by suggesting that our inborn ability for language makes available certain innately wired primitives. Different types of adjectives, adverbs, and other elements in the functional spine are considered to occupy fixed positions via innate hierarchies that determine orderings such as A>B>C, banning other permutations (*B>C>A). The goal of this research is to tap into the nature and rigidity of such hierarchies by comparing what happens when people process orderings that either comply with them or violate them.

Method

N = 170 neurotypical, adult speakers completed a timed forced choice task that featured stimuli showing a combination o

SUBMITTER: Leivada E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6679903 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature