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How Spanish speakers express norms using generic person markers.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Salvador, CE; Orvell, A; Kross, E; Gelman, SA
Published in: Scientific reports
March 2022

Language is one powerful vehicle for transmitting norms-a universal feature of society. In English, people use "you" generically (e.g., "You win some you lose some") to express and interpret norms. Here, we examine how norms are conveyed and interpreted in Spanish, a language that-unlike English-has two forms of you (i.e., formal, informal), distinct generic person markers, and pro-drop, allowing for an examination of underlying conceptual tendencies in how the structure of language facilitates the transmission of norms. In Study 1a-b (N = 838) Spanish speakers used informal generic-you and the generic person marker "se" (but not formal-you) to express norms (vs. preferences). In Study 2 (N = 300), formal you, informal you, and impersonal "se" had persuasive force over personal endorsements (e.g., "I"), informing Spanish speaker's interpretation of unfamiliar norms. Our findings add to a growing literature on how subtle linguistic shifts reflect and influence cognitive processes.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Scientific reports

DOI

EISSN

2045-2322

ISSN

2045-2322

Publication Date

March 2022

Volume

12

Issue

1

Start / End Page

5016

Related Subject Headings

  • Reference Values
  • Linguistics
  • Language
  • Humans
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Salvador, C. E., Orvell, A., Kross, E., & Gelman, S. A. (2022). How Spanish speakers express norms using generic person markers. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 5016. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-08675-2
Salvador, Cristina E., Ariana Orvell, Ethan Kross, and Susan A. Gelman. “How Spanish speakers express norms using generic person markers.Scientific Reports 12, no. 1 (March 2022): 5016. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-08675-2.
Salvador CE, Orvell A, Kross E, Gelman SA. How Spanish speakers express norms using generic person markers. Scientific reports. 2022 Mar;12(1):5016.
Salvador, Cristina E., et al. “How Spanish speakers express norms using generic person markers.Scientific Reports, vol. 12, no. 1, Mar. 2022, p. 5016. Epmc, doi:10.1038/s41598-022-08675-2.
Salvador CE, Orvell A, Kross E, Gelman SA. How Spanish speakers express norms using generic person markers. Scientific reports. 2022 Mar;12(1):5016.

Published In

Scientific reports

DOI

EISSN

2045-2322

ISSN

2045-2322

Publication Date

March 2022

Volume

12

Issue

1

Start / End Page

5016

Related Subject Headings

  • Reference Values
  • Linguistics
  • Language
  • Humans