Objective
From a very young age, infants can infer the probable meaning of a new word from its syntactic context (e.g. she blicks –>blick is an action/verb). What is the learning mechanism that enables this link from specific syntactic contexts to different semantic categories? This project investigates the influence exerted by the content words already present in the mental lexicon (i.e. the semantic seed) along with the child’s distributional learning skills. In the first line of research, I investigate how preverbal infants can use known words (i.e. semantic seed) to help them categorize a new word as a noun or a verb. Inspection of cross-linguistic universals reveals that across the world’s languages, certain conceptual categories are often marked in morphosyntax (eg. object/action, animate/inanimate), while others not (e.g. color). The cause of the regularities might thus be that since morphosyntax helps infants to learn word meanings, only those morphosyntactic regularities that mark conceptual distinctions that are noticeable by infants would be selected for human languages (i.e. core knowledge). In Study 2 and 3, infants will be taught novel syntactic contexts (e.g. a new article) along with words they already know (semantic seed) to test if they can subsequently predict the meaning of a novel word that would appear in the same contexts (e.g. object). Study 2 will use distinctions already marked in French (i.e. object/action), and Study 3 will use distinctions that are not marked. I will test the hypothesis that core knowledge distinctions (i.e. animacy) are easier to map onto morphosyntactic markers than non-core knowledge distinctions (i.e. color). Taken together, these studies will demonstrate the presence of synergies between the lexicon and the syntax during language acquisition. This project will also give us insight on the distinctions that are easy to associate with morphosyntactic markers, which would explain the patterns in world's languages.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- humanities languages and literature general language studies
- engineering and technology materials engineering colors
- social sciences psychology psycholinguistics
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2017
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
75230 Paris
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.