A comparison of abstract and concrete mass nouns in terms of their interaction with quantificational determiners

Author(s):  
Stefan Hinterwimmer
Keyword(s):  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-30
Author(s):  
Sea Hee Choi ◽  
Tania Ionin

Abstract This paper examines whether second language (L2)-English learners whose native languages (L1; Korean and Mandarin) lack obligatory plural marking transfer the properties of plural marking from their L1s, and whether transfer is manifested both offline (in a grammaticality judgment task) and online (in a self-paced reading task). The online task tests the predictions of the morphological congruency hypothesis (Jiang 2007), according to which L2 learners have particular difficulty automatically activating the meaning of L2 morphemes that are incongruent with their L1. Experiment 1 tests L2 learners’ sensitivity to errors of –s oversuppliance with mass nouns, while Experiment 2 tests their sensitivity to errors of –s omission with count nouns. The findings show that (a) L2 learners detect errors with nonatomic mass nouns (sunlights) but not atomic ones (furnitures), both offline and online; and (b) L1-Korean L2-English learners are more successful than L1-Mandarin L2-English learners in detecting missing –s with definite plurals (these boat), while the two groups behave similarly with indefinite plurals (many boat). Given that definite plurals require plural marking in Korean but not in Mandarin, the second finding is consistent with L1-transfer. Overall, the findings show that learners are able to overcome morphological incongruency and acquire novel uses of L2 morphemes.


1969 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
Madison S. Beeler
Keyword(s):  

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Barner ◽  
Jesses Snedeker

How does mass–count syntax affect word meaning? Many theorists haveproposed that count nouns denote individuals, whereas mass nouns do not(Bloom, 1999; Gordon, 1985; Link, 1983), a proposal that is supported byprototypical examples of each (table, water). However, studies of quantityjudgments in 4-year-olds and adults demonstrate that some mass nouns(furniture) do denote individuals (Barner & Snedeker, 2005). This isproblematic for bootstrapping theories that posit one-to-onesyntax-semantics mappings (individual ↔ count; nonindividual ↔ mass; Bloom,1999), unless mass nouns that denote individuals are late-learnedexceptions to mappings. This article investigates this possibility in3-year-olds and adults using 2 methods: word extension and quantityjudgment. Both methods indicate that novel mass nouns can denoteindividuals in both age groups, and thus fail to support simplifiedsyntax-semantics mappings. Also, differences between word extension andquantity judgment raise the possibility that the tasks measure differentunderlying knowledge.


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (4(136)) ◽  
pp. 102-111
Author(s):  
Zbigniew Mikołajczyk ◽  
Katarzyna Pieklak ◽  
Aleksandra Roszak

Modern technical textiles, including knitted fabrics, are widely used in the construction industry. Regarding textiles in concrete reinforcement, methods based on shredded fibres, meshes, reinforcing mats, woven textiles and knitted DOStapes are frequently used as underlays of concrete constructions. Textiles are also used in the reinforcement of fibrous FRP composites. The research presented focused on producing composites made of MapeiMapefill concrete mass with reinforcement in the form of three variants of knitted meshes made of 228 tex polyamide threads, polypropylene threads of 6.3 tex and 203 tex glass threads, as well as identification of their mechanical properties. The mesh variant made of glass fibre is especially noteworthy, as its strength is more than three times higher than that of polyamide meshes. At the same time, a very small relative elongation of 3% is observed for this variant of knitted fabric, which is a desired property regarding the comparatively low stretching extension of concrete. In the process of making the composites, the adhesion of the concrete mass to the surface of the threads was analyzed. For this purpose, a "Sopro HE449" type agent was used. Composite beams were subjected to a three-point bending strength analysis on a testing machine. The results of strength measurements of the composites obtained prove that those with glass fibres demonstrate a threefold increase in strength compared to the original concrete beam.


2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 75 ◽  
Author(s):  
João Vinicius de A. Braga ◽  
Laiza de Sena ◽  
Ruan Mariano ◽  
Roberta Pires de Oliveira

2013 ◽  
pp. 191-198
Author(s):  
David Lee
Keyword(s):  

2019 ◽  
pp. 37-60
Author(s):  
Alexis Wellwood

This chapter begins the book’s survey of non-canonical comparatives, and suggests a degree-based interpretation of the expression “much” which occurs implicitly as a morphosyntactic part of “more”, and explicitly in phrases like “as much” and “too much”. Focusing on comparatives targeting mass nouns like “mud” and atelic verb phrases like “run (in the park)”, a primary goal of this analysis is to capture both the variability and constraints (especially a hypothesized “monotonicity constraint”) on measure function selection in such cases. In line with the central thesis of the book, this chapter emphasizes the role that the order-theoretic properties (when present) of a predicate plays in fixing the available dimension(s) for comparison in a given nominal or verbal comparative. The success of this analysis suggests considering whether it can apply to the canonical comparatives, which is explored in the subsequent chapter.


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