Anti-representationalism in language development research: A commentary on Ambridge (2020). Issue 5 (October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Knabe, Melina L.; Vlach, Haley A.
• Other Names: Marshall Chloë guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: First language. Volume 40:Issue 5/6(2020)
• Page Start: 592
• Page End: 595
• Publication Date: 2020-10
• Subjects: Abstraction -- anti-representationalism -- child language acquisition -- exemplar account -- forgetting-as-abstraction -- word learning; Language acquisition -- Periodicals; 401.9305
• DOI: 10.1177/0142723720905918
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0142-7237

Abstract

Ambridge argues that there is widespread agreement among child language researchers that learners store linguistic abstractions. In this commentary the authors first argue that this assumption is incorrect; anti-representationalist/exemplar views are pervasive in theories of child language. Next, the authors outline what has been learned from this body of work, including insights into mechanisms underlying language learning. Interestingly, some of these mechanisms are at odds with counterarguments in Ambridge, such as the finding that forgetting is a critical process of language.