The aim of this contribution is to provide empirical evidence for the hypothesis of the linguistic origin of superordinate categorization. Three studies are described, focused on the analysis of word meaning components, as revealed by subjects’ definitions of basic level terms. In the first study, the role of cognitive/logical skills in the production of definitions containing superordinate terms was analyzed. No differences were found between children who were able to solve class inclusion problems and those who were not. In the second study, the progressive incorporation of the superordinate categorical dimension into word meaning was analyzed by using a multidimensional scaling technique, based on the assumption that this dimension has an external, i.e., linguistic, origin. In the third study, a relationship was shown between the use of superordination in object definitions and the decline of nominal realism: children who displayed this level of categorization were also aware of the cultural, social origin of language and its various lexical components.

Keywords:
Classification, Class inclusion, Language acquisition, Metalinguistic knowledge, Superordination, Word definition, Word meaning
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© 1988 S. Karger AG, Basel
1988
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