About the book
How do children learn that the word \"dog\" refers not to all four-legged animals, and not just to Ralph, but to all members of a particular species? How do they learn the meanings of verbs like \"think,\" adjectives like \"good,\" and words for abstract entities such as \"mortgage\" and \"story\"? The acquisition of word meaning is one of the fundamental issues in the study of mind.
According to Paul Bloom, children learn words through sophisticated cognitive abilities that exist for other purposes. These include the ability to infer others' intentions, the ability to acquire concepts, an appreciation of syntactic structure, and certain general learning and memory abilities. Although other researchers have associated word learning with some of these capacities, Bloom is the first to show how a complete explanation requires all of them. The acquisition of even simple nouns requires rich conceptual, social, and linguistic capacities interacting in complex ways.
This book requires no background in psychology or linguistics and is written in a clear, engaging style. Topics include the effects of language on spatial reasoning, the origin of essentialist beliefs, and the young child's understanding of representational art. The book should appeal to general readers interested in language and cognition as well as to researchers in the field.
Editions of How Children Learn the Meanings of Words
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780262024693
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780262523295
- EBook
- ISBN 9780262268783
- EBook
- ISBN 9780262307130
Read an Excerpt
How do children learn that the word \"dog\" refers not to all four-legged animals, and not just to Ralph, but to all members of a particular species? How do they learn the meanings of verbs like \"think,\" adjectives like \"good,\" and words for abstract entities such as \"mortgage\" and \"story\"? The acquisition of word meaning is one of the fundamental issues in the study of mind.
According to Paul Bloom, children learn words through sophisticated cognitive abilities that exist for other purposes. These include the ability to infer others' intentions, the ability to acquire concepts, an appreciation of syntactic structure, and certain general learning and memory abilities. Although other researchers have associated word learning with some of these capacities, Bloom is the first to show how a complete explanation requires all of them. The acquisition of even simple nouns requires rich conceptual, social, and linguistic capacities interacting in complex ways.
This book requires no background in psychology or linguistics and is written in a clear, engaging style. Topics include the effects of language on spatial reasoning, the origin of essentialist beliefs, and the young child's understanding of representational art. The book should appeal to general readers interested in language and cognition as well as to researchers in the field.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is How Children Learn the Meanings of Words about?
How do children learn that the word \"dog\" refers not to all four-legged animals, and not just to Ralph, but to all members of a particular species? How do they learn the meanings of verbs like \"think,\" adjectives like \"good,\" and words for abstract entities such as \"mortgage\" and \"story\"? The acquisition of word meaning is one of the fundamental issues in the study of mind.
According to Paul Bloom, children learn words through sophisticated cognitive abilities that exist for other purposes. These include the ability to infer others' intentions, the ability to acquire concepts, an appreciation of syntactic structure, and certain general learning and memory abilities. Although other researchers have associated word learning with some of these capacities, Bloom is the first to show how a complete explanation requires all of them. The acquisition of even simple nouns requires rich conceptual, social, and linguistic capacities interacting in complex ways.
This book requires no background in psychology or linguistics and is written in a clear, engaging style. Topics include the effects of language on spatial reasoning, the origin of essentialist beliefs, and the young child's understanding of representational art. The book should appeal to general readers interested in language and cognition as well as to researchers in the field.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in How Children Learn the Meanings of Words?
Society and Social Sciences > Psychology > Cognition and cognitive psychology
Where can I read a sample of How Children Learn the Meanings of Words?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780262024693
Is How Children Learn the Meanings of Words part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Learning, Development, and Conceptual Change
Who is/are the Author/s of the book How Children Learn the Meanings of Words?
Paul Bloom
Who is the Publisher of the book How Children Learn the Meanings of Words?
MIT Press
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
How Children Learn the Meanings of Words is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780262024693) and paperback(ISBN 9780262523295) and ebook(ISBN 9780262268783) and ebook(ISBN 9780262307130)
Where can I buy How Children Learn the Meanings of Words online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy How Children Learn the Meanings of Words from below
Where can I buy How Children Learn the Meanings of Words?