levels of categorization

Levels of

Categorization

Week 5

thingvehiclecarMazdaMazda 3i Sedan

more specific

thingvehiclecarMazdaMazda 3i Sedan

more specific

In everyday life (e.g., when describing an accident), which level would you typically use?

more specific

ScientificClassification:

Biology

Tzeltal Plant Classification

plant 1

broad-leafed plant, etc. 4

bean, etc. 471

common bean, etc. 273

red common bean, etc. 8

number ofcategories

Tzeltal Plant Classification

plant 1

broad-leafed plant, etc. 4

bean, etc. 471

common bean, etc. 273

red common bean, etc. 8

number ofcategories

Most numerousMost commonly known

Tzeltal Plant Classification (p. 68)

plant

tree, vine, grass, broad-leafed plant

pine, …, bean, etc.

common bean, etc.

red common bean, etc.

Not in superordinate level!Inclusion in generic level reflectsits cultural importance.

preferred (i.e., most natural)

cognitive perspective

x

Tzeltal Plant Classification

plant 1

broad-leafed plant, etc. 4

bean, etc. 471

common bean, etc. 273

red common bean, etc. 8

number ofcategories

How many levelsdo you typically usewhen talking about plants?

Basic Level

ANIMAL

DOG

POODLE, DACHSUND, GREYHOUND

superordinate level

basic level

subordinate level

Basic Level

ANIMAL

DOG

POODLE, DACHSUND, GREYHOUND

superordinate level

basic level

subordinate level

Includes things that are very different

Includes things that are very similar

Basic Level

ANIMAL

DOG

POODLE, DACHSUND, GREYHOUND

superordinate level

basic level

subordinate level

Includes things that are very different

Includes things that are very similar

Maximizes similarity withinthe category and differencewith other categories

Basic Level

ANIMAL

DOG

POODLE, DACHSUND, GREYHOUND

superordinate level

basic level

subordinate level

Includes things that are very different

Includes things that are very similar

Maximizes similarity withinthe category and differencewith other categories

Basic Level

ANIMAL

DOG

POODLE, DACHSUND, GREYHOUND

superordinate level

basic level

subordinate level

Includes things that are very different

Includes things that are very similar

Maximizes similarity withinthe category and differencewith other categories

Cognitive economy: The most information for the least effort

Basic Level

DOG basic level

Maximizes similarity withinthe category and differencewith other categories

Cognitive economy: The most information for the least effort

In terms of a Gestalt, this level is distinctive in terms of its shape.

Basic Level

DOG basic level

Maximizes similarity withinthe category and differencewith other categories

Cognitive economy: The most information for the least effort

In terms of a Gestalt, this level is distinctive in terms of its shape.

At this level, there’s a distinctive behavior and a distinctive type of interaction with human beings.

Which level is easier to mime?

superordinate level (clothing)

basic level (hat)

subordinate level (types of hats)

Basic Level

basic level* The basic level can be more specificif the item is more important in the culture.

Levels of Categorization and Prototypes

basic level

At this level, the prototypes are most fully developed.(This is why they function as they do.)

This level reflects our typical experience and interaction with the world.

Levels of Categorization and Prototypes

superordinate level deficient

No underlying gestalt (can’t be visualized)

Gestalt features must be borrowed from basic level.

The borrowed attributes often entail a family resemblance structure.

Levels of Categorization and Prototypes

musical instrument, furniture, vehiclepiano, horn, chair, car, bus

What do you notice about words at superordinate and basic level?

Levels of Categorization and Prototypes

musical instrument, furniture, vehiclepiano, horn, chair, car, bus

What do you notice about words at superordinate and basic level?

simpler words

In L1A, these words are learned first.

Levels of Categorization and Prototypes

Characteristics of the parts are different.

clothingdress, hat, pants

baseball cap, hardhat, beret

Share general function (e.g., covering body) but have different parts

Levels of Categorization and Prototypes

Subordinate level: It’s hard for a non-specialist to identify a prototype (e.g., a prototype of a “hardhat” for example.)

clothingdress, hat, pants

baseball cap, hardhat, beret

Levels of Categorization and Prototypes

Subordinate level: Most features are borrowed from the basic level.

clothingdress, hat, pants

baseball cap, hardhat, beret

Levels of Categorization and Prototypes

toyball, bat, dice

baseball, basketball, beach-ball

Superordinate level Tends to highlight an attribute (e.g., things you play with)

What’s the relationship between elements of kanji and the three levels?

radicals 　　　花

words with a single character with a kunyomi 花

words with multiple characters that tend to have an onyomi 杜鵑花

SUPERORDINATE LEVELBASIC LEVEL

SUBORDINATE LEVEL

In Japan, what do children learn first? What kind of words tend to be scientific terms?

radicals 　　　花

words with a single character with a kunyomi 花

words with multiple characters that tend to have an onyomi 杜鵑花

SUPERORDINATE LEVELBASIC LEVEL

SUBORDINATE LEVEL

杜鵑花

杜鵑花

Scientific Text• Perennials, (10–)30–400(–600+ in fruit) cm (sexual or apomictic); taprooted or with

branched caudices. Stems (1–10+) erect or ascending, scapiform (terete), simple (hollow), glabrous or villous proximal to heads. Leaves basal (in rosettes, erect or patent to nearly horizontal); petiolate or sessile; blades oblong to obovate or oblanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, runcinate or lyrate (bases cuneate to ± attenuate), margins subentire to dentate or pinnately lobed (apices rounded or obtuse to acute or acuminate, faces glabrous or glabrate to sparsely villous, pilose, or villosulous). Heads borne singly. Calyculi persistent, of (6–)8–18(–20) broadly ovate to lanceolate bractlets in (1–)2–3 series, distinct (appressed before flowering, recurved to spreading or reflexed in fruit), unequal (shorter than phyllaries, margins scarious, ciliate or not, apices corniculate, callous, or either). Involucres campanulate to cylindro-campanulate or urceolate to cylindric, 8–40 mm diam. Phyllaries 7–25 in 2(–3) series, weakly coherent proximally in buds (interlocking folded margins), distinct later, erect (sometimes slightly spreading) in flower, closing at fruit maturation, reflexed at dispersal (exposing globes of cypselae with fully spread pappi), ± equal, herbaceous, glabrous; inner lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, margins scarious, ciliate or not, apices acuminate, sometimes corniculate, callous, or flat. 

Scientific Text• Perennials, (10–)30–400(–600+ in fruit) cm (sexual or apomictic); taprooted or with

branched caudices. Stems (1–10+) erect or ascending, scapiform (terete), simple (hollow), glabrous or villous proximal to heads. Leaves basal (in rosettes, erect or patent to nearly horizontal); petiolate or sessile; blades oblong to obovate or oblanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, runcinate or lyrate (bases cuneate to ± attenuate), margins subentire to dentate or pinnately lobed (apices rounded or obtuse to acute or acuminate, faces glabrous or glabrate to sparsely villous, pilose, or villosulous). Heads borne singly. Calyculi persistent, of (6–)8–18(–20) broadly ovate to lanceolate bractlets in (1–)2–3 series, distinct (appressed before flowering, recurved to spreading or reflexed in fruit), unequal (shorter than phyllaries, margins scarious, ciliate or not, apices corniculate, callous, or either). Involucres campanulate to cylindro-campanulate or urceolate to cylindric, 8–40 mm diam. Phyllaries 7–25 in 2(–3) series, weakly coherent proximally in buds (interlocking folded margins), distinct later, erect (sometimes slightly spreading) in flower, closing at fruit maturation, reflexed at dispersal (exposing globes of cypselae with fully spread pappi), ± equal, herbaceous, glabrous; inner lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, margins scarious, ciliate or not, apices acuminate, sometimes corniculate, callous, or flat. 

Notice the heavy use of superordinate terms.

Cinderella• Once upon a time there lived an unhappy young girl. Her

mother was dead and her father had married a widow with two daughters. Her stepmother didn't like her one little bit. All her kind thoughts and loving touches were for her own daughters. Nothing was too good for them - dresses, shoes, delicious food, soft beds, and every home comfort. But, for the poor unhappy girl, there was nothing at all. No dresses, only her stepsisters’ hand-me-downs. No lovely dishes, nothing but scraps. No rest and no comfort. She had to work hard all day. Only when evening came was she allowed to sit for a while by the fire, near the cinders. That’s why everybody called her Cinderella.

Most nouns are basic level terms.