Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Journal of Child Language
Abstract
Fast mapping weaknesses in children with specific language impairment (SLI) may be explained by differences in disambiguation, mapping an unknown word to an unnamed object. The impact of language ability and linguistic stimulus on disambiguation was investigated. Sixteen children with SLI (8 preschool, 8 school-age) and sixteen typically developing age-matched children selected referents given familiar and unfamiliar object pairs in three ambiguous conditions: phonologically distinct word (PD), phonologically similar word (PS), no word (NW). Preschoolers with SLI did not disambiguate, unlike typically developing age-matched participants, who consistently selected unfamiliar objects given PD. School-age children with SLI disambiguated given PD. Delays in disambiguation for young children with SLI suggest limitations in processes that facilitate word learning for typically developing children. School-age children with SLI consistently selected familiar objects for PS, unlike typically developing children, suggesting differences in phonological activation for word learning.
First Page
180
Last Page
195
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0305000914000038
Publication Date
1-2015
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
ESTIS JM, BEVERLY BL. Children with SLI exhibit delays resolving ambiguous reference. Journal of Child Language. 2015;42(1):180-195. doi:10.1017/S0305000914000038
Included in
Communication Sciences and Disorders Commons, Development Studies Commons, Other Medical Sciences Commons, Pediatrics Commons
Comments
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014
Address for correspondence: Julie M. Estis, PhD, Associate Professor, University of South Alabama, 5721 USADr N, 1119 HAHN. tel: 251-445-9364; Mobile, AL 36688-0002; fax: 251-445-9376; e-mail: jestis@southalabama.edu