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Comprehension and production of comparatives and superlatives*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 September 2008

Thomas L. Layton  and
Sheldon L. Stick
Thomas L. Layton
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Sheldon L. Stick
Affiliation:
University of Nebraska at Lincoln
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Abstract

Ten objects were used to assess comprehension, production, and imitation of comparative and superlative suffixes in 100 children ranging in age from 2; 6 to 4; 6. The results indicated that comprehension of both suffix forms was similar at each of five age levels studied; although incrementally better comprehension scores occurred with succeeding ages. Virtually all subjects were successful in imitating forms missed during the comprehension task. Analysis revealed that the -er suffix was produced more often than the -est suffix, at the youngest age (2; 6): at succeeding age levels this difference was reversed. Big was the primary lexical unit selected by the subjects for positive and negative polar forms connoting size; little was the second most frequently used adjective form.

Information

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Child Language , Volume 6 , Issue 3 , October 1979 , pp. 511 - 527
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1979

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Footnotes

[*]

Address for correspondence: Thomas L. Layton, Institute of Speech and Hearing Sciences, The University of North Carolina, G-06 Wing D, Medical School, 208H Chapel Hill, N.C. 27514. U.S.A.

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