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Chapter 8 - Abstractness and Language as a Social Tool

from Part II - Abstractness and Language

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 July 2023

Anna M. Borghi
Anna M. Borghi
Affiliation:
University of Rome
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Summary

Chapter 8 shows that the idea that words are social tools particularly suits abstract concepts. I first review studies on conceptual acquisition in infants and children, highlighting the crucial role social and linguistic experiences play, particularly for abstract concepts. I then review studies showing that contexts referring to social situations are more effective for processing abstract than concrete concepts. The importance of social and linguistic experiences makes it necessary to adopt new methods for studying abstract concepts. These methods, which consider language a form of participatory sense-making, focus on online dialogic interactions. The final section outlines the proposal that abstract concepts have an essential social function, enhancing social cohesion. One of the possible reasons why they are so common might be linked to our need to share and co-construct our world with others. This need is particularly evident with words, like abstract ones, the meaning of which is less anchored to perceptual stimuli and more debatable and flexible.

Keywords

abstract concepts acquisitiongoal-derived categoriestestimonyconfidenceknowledge outsourcinginteractive paradigmsreal-time contexts and abstract conceptsabstractness and lifespanthe social function of abstractness
Type
Chapter
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The Freedom of Words
Abstractness and the Power of Language
 , pp. 255 - 287
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

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