Proceedings of the 2021 3rd International Conference on Literature, Art and Human Development (ICLAHD 2021)

A Study of Children’s Acquisition of the Deixis in Chinese Mandarin: Asymmetry Distribution of “zhe”, “zhege” and “na”, “nage” between Positions of Subject and Object

Authors
Xiaohui Sun1, *
1Xiaohui Sun Shandong Management University
*Corresponding author. Email: sunxiaohui94@hotmail.com
Corresponding Author
Xiaohui Sun
Available Online 29 November 2021.
DOI
10.2991/assehr.k.211120.090How to use a DOI?
Keywords
acquisition of deixis; Chinese demonstrative deixis; Chinese Mandarin children
Abstract

Acquisition of the deixis category has been a hot topic for over decades and many linguists have researched it from different perspectives. However, many studies focus on L2 acquisition of deixis learning rather than on children’s acquisition of native languages especially Mandarin Chinese. Thus, this study aims to investigate children’s acquisition of the demonstratives “zhe” and “na” in Mandarin Chinese especially the asymmetry distribution of “zhe” vs. “zhege” and “na” vs. “nage” between positions of subjects and objects. The study tested 18 Chinese children from 3 to 5 years old on their acquisition of deixis in Mandarin using elicited production as well as elicited imitation. The research shows that children have not acquired the demonstrative deixis of “zhe”-series and “na”-series absolutely before 6 years old but senior children relatively did better than junior children. Moreover, children’s development of “na” is later than the development of “zhe”. In addition, children from 3 years old to 5 years old have not acquired the asymmetric distribution of “zhe”/ “na” vs. “zhege”/ “nage” at the position of subject and object. I hope this study can further the research on children’s language acquisition and cognitive development.

Copyright
© 2021 The Authors. Published by Atlantis Press SARL.
Open Access
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license.

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Volume Title
Proceedings of the 2021 3rd International Conference on Literature, Art and Human Development (ICLAHD 2021)
Series
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research
Publication Date
29 November 2021
ISBN
978-94-6239-461-2
ISSN
2352-5398
DOI
10.2991/assehr.k.211120.090How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2021 The Authors. Published by Atlantis Press SARL.
Open Access
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license.

Cite this article

TY  - CONF
AU  - Xiaohui Sun
PY  - 2021
DA  - 2021/11/29
TI  - A Study of Children’s Acquisition of the Deixis in Chinese Mandarin: Asymmetry Distribution of “zhe”, “zhege” and “na”, “nage” between Positions of Subject and Object
BT  - Proceedings of the 2021 3rd International Conference on Literature, Art and Human Development (ICLAHD 2021)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 473
EP  - 479
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.211120.090
DO  - 10.2991/assehr.k.211120.090
ID  - Sun2021
ER  -