GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY. A ROTE LEARNING AND WORD ASSOCIATION ANALYSIS
Abstract
Three experiments using rote learning and word association techniques were carried out to analyze differences in the use of content and function words. In Experiment I, paired-associates learning (English word--nonsense syllable, and nonsense syllable--English word) was carried out and clear-cut differences favoring the content words were established. In Experiment II, an attempt was made to analyze these differences on the basis of the number of associations generated by words from the several grammatical categories. This attempt led to conflicting results and abandonment of the simple word association approach. Experiment III was based on the concept of function words as partiallybound morphemes. It was argued that the function words are incomplete as units and that to have them function efficiently in learning, it was necessary to surround them with other elements. In Experiment III, words from the several categories were surrounded with minimal context, by using triplets (nonsense syllable--English word--nonsense syllable) in a rote learning situation. When the words were embedded in such minimal context, function words were easier to learn than content words. The implications of these findings for the consideration of parts of speech are explored. Analysis on the basis of the subject's customary speech unit is presented as an alternative to analysis on the basis of meaning or meaningfulness. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1961
- Accession Number
- AD0264777
Entities
People
- Murray Glanzer
Organizations
- University of Maryland