Combining adjective meaning with the modified noun is particularly challenging for children under three years. Previous research suggests that in processing noun-adjective phrases children may over-rely on noun information, delaying or omitting adjective interpretation. However, the question of whether this difficulty is modulated by semantic differences among (subsective) adjectives is underinvestigated. A visual-world experiment explores how Italian-learning children (N=38, 2;4–5;3) process noun-adjective phrases and whether their processing strategies adapt based on the adjective class. Our investigation substantiates the proficient integration of noun and adjective semantics by children. Nevertheless, alligning with previous research, a notable asymmetry is evident in the interpretation of nouns and adjectives, the latter being integrated more slowly. Remarkably, by testing toddlers across a wide age range, we observe a developmental trajectory in processing, supporting a continuity approach to children’s development. Moreover, we reveal that children exhibit sensitivity to the distinct interpretations associated with each subsective adjective.

中文翻译：

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处理发展中的形容词：来自眼球追踪的证据


对于三岁以下的儿童来说，将形容词含义与修饰的名词结合起来尤其具有挑战性。先前的研究表明，在处理名词形容词短语时，儿童可能会过度依赖名词信息，从而延迟或省略形容词解释。然而，这种困难是否受到（主观）形容词之间语义差异的调节的问题尚未得到充分研究。视觉世界实验探讨了学习意大利语的儿童 (N=38, 2;4–5;3) 如何处理名词形容词短语以及他们的处理策略是否根据形容词类别进行调整。我们的调查证实了儿童对名词和形容词语义的熟练整合。然而，与之前的研究一致，名词和形容词的解释明显不对称，后者的整合速度较慢。值得注意的是，通过测试不同年龄段的幼儿，我们观察到处理的发展轨迹，支持儿童发展的连续性方法。此外，我们发现儿童对与每个子形容词相关的不同解释表现出敏感性。