The study of +Animate in children`s stories Age Levels: (2-6), (7-9), and (10-12) years old

ABSTRACT: It is called Children`s literature, when it is created simply for children. As children have their own special attitudes, the style of the book written for them should be in conformity with their nature. In addition, the words and the structure of the book should be intelligible to child as the incomprehensibility of these elements may result in child’s confusion in making mental communication. The presence of +animate concept in children`s stories can increase the semantic and literal delicacies of the books. The semantic deviation suggested by Sojoodi (1997) was the theoretical foundation of this study. This study aimed to investigate the presence of +animate concept in children`s Farsi story books. To this end, 83 Stories of children, in the age levels of (2-6), (7-9), and (10-12) were randomly selected and carefully examined in terms of three classifications of [+animate] which includes [+animal], [+human], and [+plant]. The results of this study showed that (a) the stories studied in the age levels (2-6), and (10-12) received the lowest frequency in [+animate]. Therefore, it can be concluded that the highest frequency of [+animate] was found in the age level (7-9). (b) [+human] received the highest frequency (f=298), whereas [+plant] received the lowest frequency (f=3), and (c) the results can also be organized in terms of frequencies in order as [+human], [+ animal], and [+plant].