© 2007 7361 1 Child language acquisition To what extent do children acquire language by actively...

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Child language Child language acquisition acquisition

To what extent do children acquire language by actively

working out its rules?


What are rules?What are rules?

A rule is – according to Wiktionary:A rule is – according to Wiktionary:

a regulation, law, guideline a regulation, law, guideline something to keep order. something to keep order.

How do we relate this to language?How do we relate this to language?


Language rulesLanguage rules

Morphology

Rules

Pragmatics

Semantics Syntax

…


-ed past tense

Morphology

-s plural-’s possessive

-ing progressiveaspect

Some grammar rulesSome grammar rules

…

-er/-estcomparative/superlative


‘I falled over’‘Mummy sawed me’

…

Morphology rules: examplesMorphology rules: examples

‘I drawing’‘Me walking’

‘Wugs’‘Mans’

‘Mouses’

‘Mummy’s shoes’‘Dolly’s pushchair’

‘He’s bigger than me’‘I’m the oldest’

Morphology


Syntax rulesSyntax rules

Each stage has its own set of

rules

Post-telegraphic

Two word Telegraphic

…


Two word stageTwo word stage

Look at the combinations of words created Look at the combinations of words created at the two word stage:at the two word stage:

I draw (subject + verb)I draw (subject + verb) My hat (possessor + possession)My hat (possessor + possession) Drink gone (object + quality)Drink gone (object + quality)

Explore Roger Brown’s research into Explore Roger Brown’s research into semantic relations and the typical two semantic relations and the typical two word combinations.word combinations.


Questions and negationQuestions and negation

The two word stage is where questions The two word stage is where questions and negative constructions start to appear and negative constructions start to appear and there are rules for how these are and there are rules for how these are formed too.formed too.

Take the syntax of declarative sentences, Take the syntax of declarative sentences, for example. They are usually subject – for example. They are usually subject – verb – object (‘I ate the apple’) or subject – verb – object (‘I ate the apple’) or subject – verb – complement (‘I am five’), but to verb – complement (‘I am five’), but to form a question, syntax has to be form a question, syntax has to be changed: ‘Am I five?’ or ‘Did I eat the changed: ‘Am I five?’ or ‘Did I eat the apple?’. apple?’.


Telegraphic stageTelegraphic stage

Children tend to follow adult syntax at this Children tend to follow adult syntax at this stage, but miss out grammatical words. stage, but miss out grammatical words.

If there’s a rule here, it’s that children opt If there’s a rule here, it’s that children opt for lexical words rather than grammatical for lexical words rather than grammatical ones – they go for meaning over grammar.ones – they go for meaning over grammar.

Mummy work (Mummy is going to work). Mummy work (Mummy is going to work).


Post-telegraphic stagePost-telegraphic stage

The missing words (auxiliary verbs, The missing words (auxiliary verbs, determiners and prepositions) start determiners and prepositions) start to reappear, and clauses start to get to reappear, and clauses start to get linked together.linked together.

Children start to link clauses with co-Children start to link clauses with co-ordinating conjunctions to begin ordinating conjunctions to begin with, moving on to subordinating with, moving on to subordinating conjunctions later. conjunctions later.


Semantics Semantics Semantic rules might be defined as the ways in Semantic rules might be defined as the ways in

which children tend to make distinctions in which children tend to make distinctions in meanings between different objects, or how they meanings between different objects, or how they ‘learn to mean’.‘learn to mean’.

Children apply three strategies: the whole object Children apply three strategies: the whole object assumption, assumption, type assumption and the basic level type assumption and the basic level assumption.assumption.

The whole object assumption is that a new word The whole object assumption is that a new word usually refers to usually refers to a whole objecta whole object, not part of it or , not part of it or a quality the object possesses.a quality the object possesses.


SemanticsSemantics The The type assumptiontype assumption prevents children from prevents children from

underextendingunderextending most new words. In other most new words. In other words, if they are told that the new thing they words, if they are told that the new thing they have seen is a dog, they don’t assume that only have seen is a dog, they don’t assume that only that dog is a dog and every other dog isn’t.that dog is a dog and every other dog isn’t.

The The basic level assumptionbasic level assumption prevents the child prevents the child from from overextending overextending meanings too far. So, once meanings too far. So, once a child has recognised what dog refers to, they a child has recognised what dog refers to, they seem to understand that it also refers to things seem to understand that it also refers to things with similar properties (appearance, behaviour, with similar properties (appearance, behaviour, size).size).


PragmaticsPragmatics

As well as the more language-based rules As well as the more language-based rules covered here, children have to acquire covered here, children have to acquire pragmatics, which might be defined as an pragmatics, which might be defined as an understandingunderstanding of the unspoken rules of of the unspoken rules of communication: irony, turntaking, communication: irony, turntaking, implicature etc.implicature etc.

These can only be acquired through These can only be acquired through exposure to others’ language, and are the exposure to others’ language, and are the hallmarks of a child moving from early hallmarks of a child moving from early speech to more adult patterns.speech to more adult patterns.


Exceptions to rulesExceptions to rules

And finally…And finally… One of the big things children have to One of the big things children have to

learn is that there are exceptions to rules. learn is that there are exceptions to rules. They’re pretty good at applying rules They’re pretty good at applying rules regularly to verbs, nouns and adjectives, regularly to verbs, nouns and adjectives, but need time and exposure to language but need time and exposure to language ((notnot correctioncorrection, as such) to master the , as such) to master the exceptions. Roger Brown’s U-shape helps exceptions. Roger Brown’s U-shape helps demonstrate this.demonstrate this.

© 2007 7361 1 Child language acquisition To what extent do children acquire language by actively...

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