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20
WUG Test
Kasia Gajos (12543233)
Yara Al Huseini (13093401)
Ella Heinävaara (14233584)
Freya Glennon (14226987)
Introduction
Introduction
Testing language: English
Phenomenon: Changing plural noun forms to singular noun forms
Research question: Does the forming of plural to singular forms differ between native English speakers and non-native English speakers?
Research Question
& Predictions
Hypothesis: Difference isn't drastic, natives are more likely to give the expected answers
Method
Purpose: Ask participants to give the singular form of both real and nonsense words that are given in plural form.
Method
Participants
NATIVE SPEAKERS
Participants
NON NATIVE SPEAKERS
Procedure
- English proficiency survey
- Consent form
- Word slideshow
- Participants give singular form of the plural (nonsense) word.
- Answers recorded
Materials
Questionnaire
English Proficiency Questionnaire
Word slideshow
The Words
Real words
Lice
Wolves
Books
Fish
Puppies
Teeth
Beliefs
Ashtrays
Crises
Oxen
Nonsense words
Grives
Maloots
Trushes
Caloes
Gipories
Satipplios
Somoxes
Slazies
Glowls
Gerbloves
WUG
Pluralization rules
zero plural
fish - fish
ends with s,z,x,sh,ch
→ -es
trush - trushes
Pluralization
consonant change
-f --> -ves
wolf - wolves
gerblof - gerbloves
Results
Results & Conclusion
Analysis of results
Discussion
Factors
Factors affecting results
- English proficiency
- Nationality
- Age
- Sample size
Conclusion
- We failed to prove the hypothesis
→ Non-natives performed "better"
- Non-natives tend to use regular rules
- Natives tried to irregularise
Bibliography
Bibliography
- Biber, Johansson, S., Leech, G. N., Conrad, S., & Finegan, E. (2021). Grammar of spoken and written English. John Benjamins Publishing Company.
- Cuskley, C., Colaiori, F., Castellano, C., Loreto, V., Pugliese, M., & Tria, F. (2015, October). The adoption of linguistic rules in native and non-native speakers: Evidence from a Wug task. Journal of Memory and Language, 84, 205–223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2015.06.005
- Huddleston, Rodney (Rodney Desmond), et al. The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge University Press, 2002.
- Natalicio, D. S., & Natalicio, L. F. S. (1971, October). A Comparative Study of English Pluralization by Native and Non-Native English Speakers. Child Development, 42(4), 1302. https://doi.org/10.2307/1127817
- The Child’s Learning of English Morphology. (1958, August). Word (Worcester), 14(2–3), 150–177. https://doi.org/10.1080/00437956.1958.11659661