Baker's paradox

proper noun

The apparent paradox that children learning English encounter many sentences amenable to dative shift (e.g. "give the book to me" → "give me the book") but apparently have no way to learn that this is not possible with certain verbs (e.g. "*donate me the book" is unacceptable), and yet rarely make this kind of error.

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Meanings

proper noun
  1. human sciencesThe apparent paradox that children learning English encounter many sentences amenable to dative shift (e.g. "give the book to me" → "give me the book") but apparently have no way to learn that this is not possible with certain verbs (e.g. "*donate me the book" is unacceptable), and yet rarely make this kind of error.

Origin

Named after the linguist C. L. Baker.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Baker's paradox. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Baker's%20paradox

MLA

“Baker's paradox.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Baker's%20paradox. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Baker's paradox,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Baker's%20paradox.

Source: Baker's paradox on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.