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Children's deictic and nondeictic interpretations of the spatial locatives in front of and behind

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 February 2009

Maureen V. Cox  and
Sarah Isard
Maureen V. Cox*
Affiliation:
University of York
Sarah Isard
Affiliation:
University of York
*
Department of Psychology, University of York, Heslington, York YO1 5DD, UK.
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Abstract

A younger group (mean age 5;10) and an older group (mean age 9;11) of children were asked to place a toy man IN FRONT OF or BEHIND a car which either faced away from them or faced sideways. When the observer's viewpoint was not emphasized in the instructions, or was merely implied, both age groups responded in a nondeictic way. When the viewpoint of the observer was an essential component of the task and the spatial term was omitted, both age groups selected a deictic location. However, when the viewpoint was emphasized but when the spatial term was also included the responses were split between deictic and nondeictic locations.

Type
Notes and Discussion
Information
Journal of Child Language , Volume 17 , Issue 2 , June 1990 , pp. 481 - 488
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

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References

REFERENCES

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