When pragmatics matters more for truth-value judgments: An investigation of quantifier scope ambiguity

Investigations of linguistic meaning rely crucially on truth-value judgments, which assess whether a sentence can truthfully describe given scenario. In investigations language acquisition, judgments are used to both the target knowledge adults have and developing children at different ages. On basis researchers concluded that differences between how resolve ambiguous utterances do so persist until least age five. Current explanations compatible with experimental data attribute these grammatical processing pragmatic factors. Here, we use computational cognitive modeling formally articulate one hypothesis about ambiguity-resolution process underlies child adult in judgment task; crucially, model separate out individual contributions specific factors resulting behavior. We find play larger role than explaining children’s non-adult-like ambiguity resolution Interestingly, predicts qualitative similarity resolution. Given this prediction, then extend our show same processes may be active This result supports continuity development resolution, where not qualitatively change they order become adult-like. discuss implications results for acquisition more generally, including theories methods assessing development, as well generalizability beyond cases consider.