Lexical contrast group during post tests 2 and 3 (Wilcoxon: P2: Z=2.6, p<.05; P3: Z-2.3,
p<.05) and the Definition group during post test 1 (Wilcoxon: Pl: Z=2.6, p<.05).
Is the provision of “cutlery contrasts ” influenced by the semantic domain of the lexical
items?
Children provided significantly more cutlery contrasts for the words describing artifacts than
for the words describing animals across testing (Wilcoxon, Pl :Z=3.9, p<.0005; P2: Z=4.2,
p<.0000; P3: Z=4.1, p<.0000). The same pattern was found for each group. Significant
differences were found for the Phonological control group (Wilcoxon, P3: Z=2.02, p<.05),
the Ostensive definition group across testing (Wilcoxon, Pl: Z=2.2, p<.05; P2: Z=2.02,
p<.05; P3: Z=2.2, p<.05), the Lexical contrast group (Wilcoxon, P2: Z=2.6, p<.05) and the
Definition group across testing (Wilcoxon, Pl: Z=3.07, p<.005; P2: Z=2.7, p<005; P3:
Z=2.3, p<.05).
Analysis of the “furniture contrasts”
Is there a differential impact of the type of exposure to new lexical items that the children
receive on the provision of “furniture contrasts ”?
Children’s performance was not found to differ by the type of exposure during post test 1.
During post test 2 the Lexical contrast provided significantly more furniture contrasts (for the
stool) than the Ostensive definition group (Wilcoxon: Z=2.2, p<.05). In post test 3 the
Lexical contrast group provided significantly more furniture contrasts than the Control
(Wilcoxon: Z=1.9, p<.05), the Phonological control (Wilcoxon: Z=2.3, p<.05) and the
Ostensive definition group (Wilcoxon: Z=2.9, p<.005). In addition the Definition group
provided significantly more contrasts than the Ostensive definition group.
Does children ,s provision of “furniture contrasts ” increase with increased exposure to the
lexical items ?
Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences over time.
Does the children ,s prior knowledge of the lexical items influence the provision of “furniture
contrasts ”?
The children provided significantly more furniture contrasts for the partially represented than
the unknown words across testing (Wilcoxon, Pl: Z=3.6, p<.0005; P2: Z=4.1, p<.0000; P3: