Classifier versus taxonomic relations in a similarity judgement task

Abstract

Compared with speakers of non-classifier languages, speakers of classifier languages often demonstrate greater sensitivity to classifier-oriented parameters, also referred to as conceptual saliency, such as animacy, shape, and function. This phenomenon is commonly known as the “classifier effect”. The present study further examined the classifier effect through a similarity judgement task. Chinese speakers (N = 41) gave significantly lower ratings than English speakers (N = 41) for taxonomic pairs, but not for thematic, classifier, or filler pairs. Nevertheless, both groups consistently assigned the highest ratings to thematic pairs, followed by taxonomic, classifier, and filler pairs. Chinese speakers also required more time than English speakers across all pair conditions. A subset analysis of the taxonomic pairs revealed varying degrees of disparity in conceptual saliency. Overall, the findings suggest an implicit classifier effect among Chinese speakers, although classifier relations themselves were not used as the predominant parameter in object perception.