Cover image for Aspects of Argument Structure Acquisition in Inuktitut.
Aspects of Argument Structure Acquisition in Inuktitut.
Title:
Aspects of Argument Structure Acquisition in Inuktitut.
Author:
Allen, Shanley.
ISBN:
9789027299154
Personal Author:
Physical Description:
1 online resource (269 pages)
Series:
Language Acquisition and Language Disorders
Contents:
ASPECTS OF ARGUMENT STRUCTURE ACQUISITION IN INUKTITUT -- Editorial page -- Title page -- LCC page -- Dedication -- Table of Contents -- Acknowledgements -- 1995 Book Award -- Tables -- Abbreviations -- Chapter 1. Background and Overview -- Chapter 2. Methodology -- Chapter 3. Acquisition of passives -- Chapter 4. Acquisition of causatives -- Chapter 5. Acquisition of noun incorporation -- Chapter 6. Conclusion -- References -- Appendix A. Map indicating location of Quaqtaq -- Appendix B. List of (meta)transcription notations -- Appendix C. List of codes for verbal utterances -- Appendix D. Sample of fully coded transcript -- Index of Languages -- Index of Authors -- Index of Subjects -- The Series LANGUAGE ACQUISITION AND LANGUAGE DISORDERS.
Abstract:
This book discusses the first language acquisition of three morphosyntactic mechanisms of transitivity alternation in arctic Quebec Inuktitut. Data derive from naturalistic longitudinal spontaneous speech samples collected over a nine-month period from four Inuit children. Both basic and advanced forms of passive structures are shown to be used productively by Inuktitut-speaking children at an early age relative to English-speaking children, but consistent in age with speakers of non-Indo-European languages reported on in the literature; potential explanations of this difference include frequency of caregiver input and details of language structure. Morphological causatives appear slightly later in the acquisition sequence, and their first instances reflect use of unanalyzed routines. Lexical causatives are present from the earliest ages studied. Evidence of a period of overgeneralization of lexical causatives in one subject at the same time as the morphological causative shows signs of being productively acquired suggests that the seeming overgeneralization may reflect nothing more than as yet unstable use of the morphological causative. Noun incorporation structures are shown to be used productively by Inuktitut-speaking children at an early age relative to Mohawk-speaking children; potential explanations of this difference include details of language structure and relative language use in the environments of the learners. Findings are considered in light of current debates in the literature concerning continuity versus maturation of grammatical structure, and concerning the functional categories available to the child at early stages of acquisition. Data presented argue against late maturation, and suggest that all functional categories may be accessed by the Inuktitut-speaking child early in the acquisition process.
Local Note:
Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2017. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.
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