The Acquisition of Word Order
Author | : Marit Richardsen Westergaard |
Publisher | : John Benjamins Publishing |
Total Pages | : 264 |
Release | : 2009 |
ISBN-10 | : 9789027255280 |
ISBN-13 | : 9027255288 |
Rating | : 4/5 (80 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: Within a new model of language acquisition, this book discusses verb second (V2) word order in situations where there is variation in the input. While traditional generative accounts consider V2 to be a parameter, this study shows that, in many languages, this word order is dependent on fine distinctions in syntax and information structure. Thus, within a split-CP model of clause structure, a number of "micro-cues" are formulated, taking into account the specific context for V2 vs. non-V2 (clause type, subcategory of the elements involved, etc.). The micro-cues are produced in children s I-language grammars on exposure to the relevant input. Focusing on a dialect of Norwegian, the book shows that children generally produce target-consistent V2 and non-V2 from early on, indicating that they are sensitive to the micro-cues. This includes contexts where word order is dependent on information structure. The children s occasional non-target-consistent behavior is accounted for by economy principles."