Children and Verbs

The Experimental Knowledge Systems Lab at The University of Massachusetts has used breve to study how children perceive the world.

In the maps-for-verbs project, the lab is investigating how human children and adults learn verbs describing simple whole-body interactions. In particular, they are interested in the relationship between the dynamics of the perceived interaction and how people describe the interaction. For example, a push involves one body slowing down to contact another gently, then applying gradual force, moving the other body. In a hit, on the other hand, the approaching body moves at a fast rate or even speeds up, making contact with great, punctuated force. The general question is then: what are the properties of the dynamics that separate verb usages?