Young Children's Dyadic Pretend Play
A communication analysis of plot structure and plot generative strategies
Pretend play in early childhood arises in the context of social interaction and, as such, constitutes a form of discourse indigenous to the child's world. The present study is a first detailed investigation of thematic-ideational structure in young children's dyadic pretend play with special emphasis on major generative strategies involved in the realization of coherent play action sequences.
Play was conceptualized as a story in a dramatic mode where two actors jointly generate or attempt to generate ideationally coherent action sequences or play plots resulting in a complex, ever-evolving thematic structure at a number of levels of analysis. Methodological problems of analysis resulted in the creation of an analytic procedure Master Text that simultaneously addresses structural and processual features of play and is able to deal with lengthy play segments.
The results characterize playing as a form of discourse which proceeds according to patterned regularities at the level of Thematic Core Structures and associated schemata which underly the plot surface. The realization of such structurizations comes about during the play process in a complex interplay with features of the setting and requires establishing and modifying a shared knowledge base. These findings are discussed in light of their significance for childhood socialization.
[Pragmatics & Beyond New Series, 14] 1991. vi, 151 pp.
Publishing status: Available
Published online on 20 July 2011
Published online on 20 July 2011
© John Benjamins Publishing Company
Table of Contents
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The investigation of propositional content in play: Initial research formulation | p. 1
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Theoretical framework for analysis: Play content as play plot | p. 5
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Methodology of analysis | p. 19
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Master Text I: Analysis of Text I | p. 35
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Master Text II: Analysis of Text II | p. 53
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Comparative analysis of Master Texts I and II | p. 67
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Play plot structure and plot generative strategies: Integration of results and further considerations | p. 75
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Appendix A: Transcription of vidoetape data base: Play session with Victor and Aaron | p. 101
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Appendix B: Transcription of videotape data base: Play session with Suzie and Stephanie | p. 121
Subjects
Main BIC Subject
CF: Linguistics
Main BISAC Subject
LAN009000: LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Linguistics / General