Effects of Early Language Environments on Metaphorical Language Comprehension

• In Event: Poster Session 02
  In Poster Session: PS 02 Topic - Language, Communication

Abstract

Adults use metaphorical language frequently in conversation, but it can often be hard for young children to understand (Billow 1975). Previous work has shown that when the metaphors involve topics with which children are familiar, children start to understand novel metaphors around the age of three years (Pouscoulous & Tomasello, 2020). One reason why young children may struggle with understanding metaphors is because it is hard for them to accept a second label for an object that already has a known label (Rubio-Fernandez & Grassman 2016). However, this may not be the case for bilingual children, who are regularly learning multiple labels. Previous studies have shown that children’s early language experience influences their use of word-learning heuristics (Byers-Heinlein & Werker, 2009; Houston-Price et al., 2010). For example, bilingual children are less likely to use mutual exclusivity to determine the meaning of new words and more willing to attach new labels to objects with already known labels than monolingual children. The present study will investigate how early language environments influence metaphor comprehension in young children. We hypothesize that bilingual children will be more willing to accept metaphorical phrases at a younger age than monolingual children because of their regular use of second labels.

We will assess metaphor comprehension in monolingual (N=30) and bilingual (N=30) children aged 2.5 to 4 using a method adapted from Pouscoulous & Tomasello (2020). On each trial, children will see two cartoon pictures and be asked to choose the picture that best goes with the description provided by the experimenter (e.g., “Which one is the dog with the socks? see Figure 1). The two pictures shown on each trial will be identical with the exception of one unique feature per picture, only one of which corresponds to the metaphorical phrase (e.g., a dog with white feet versus a dog with a white bow). We will also assess children’s knowledge of the relevant vocabulary words to ensure that any differences in metaphorical language comprehension are not driven by general differences in vocabulary knowledge. Data will be analyzed using a logistic mixed effects model with trial accuracy as the dependent variable, age and language-learning status as fixed effects, and subject and item as random effects. Our prediction is that bilingual children will choose the picture that corresponds to the metaphorical phrase more often than their monolingual peers, and this difference may be largest in younger children.

All data collection will occur remotely over a live video chat. Our lab has been piloting online testing methods over the summer and we are located in an area with a large number of bilingual families. In addition, because families can participate from their own homes, we have been increasing our recruitment nationally. Therefore, it should be feasible to collect and analyze the data prior to the SRCD meeting in April 2021.

Authors

• Taylor Petersen, University of Washington
  Presenting Author

• Ariel Starr, University of Washington
  Non-Presenting Author