Developing Presupposition in Mandarin-Speaking Preschoolers: A Dual Analysis of Cognitive and Pragmatic Features in Peer Interactions

Abstract

Presupposition, the linguistic act of treating information as mutually shared or taken for granted, is a cornerstone of effective social interaction. To examine how this competence emerges in early childhood, the present study adopted a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative and qualitative analyses of peer-to-peer conversations among 80 Mandarin-speaking preschoolers (aged 3–6). Quantitatively, the results revealed a clear developmental trajectory shaped by cognitive constraints. Statistic analysis indicated significant age-related growth in frequency of presupposition usage. Notably, children across all age groups showed a robust preference for “restricted structures” (e.g., definite descriptions) over verbal or clausal triggers. Qualitatively, the analysis identified four key developmental characteristics: (a) a default, usage-based deployment of triggers reflecting emergent linguistic competence; (b) the strategic use of shared knowledge as a conversational initiator; (c) the employment of elliptical responses as “communicative economizers”; and (d) the creative use of novel responses to manipulate shared assumptions for intentional goals. These findings support an emergentist framework, suggesting that presuppositional competence arises from the dynamic interplay of cognitive maturation and social exposure. The study concludes by outlining a theoretical model of presupposition development, offering new insights into how children navigate presupposition meaning in naturalistic peer interactions.

Keywords

presupposition developing presupposition presupposition triggers presupposition competence emergentist theory

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