Naslov
Mirroring of Input Language in Child`s Language: Types and Semantics of a Verbal Lexicon

Autori
Kovačević, Melita

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, neobjavljeni rad, znanstveni

Skup
IX International Congress for the Study of Child Language

Mjesto i datum
Madison (WI), Sjedinjene Američke Države, 16.06.2002. - 21.06.2002

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
jezično usvajanje; imenice; glagoli
(language development; nouns; verbs)

Sažetak
The universality of nominal prevalence in early lanaguage development has been already questioned by some researchers, in particular for languages such as Korean, or Yucatec Maya or Slavic languages, such as Croatian. Firm noun bias has been seriously shaked-up. One of the rationals why nouns are acquired earlier and faster has been related to the features of cognitive development and easier accessibility of nouns' meaning for encoding. However, typologically diverse languages provided a solid ground for different interpretations. The structure of language, such as possibility of noun-drop, could influence significantly higher frequency of verbs in early lexicon. Language-cultural differences could also have an impact. Parent style should not be underestimated, either. In addition to that, non-linguistic context is not equal for nouns and verbs and affects mapping of meaning. Using as a backgound semantic boothstrapping hypothesis, the intention of this study was to explore the comparability of input-parent language and output-child language and to define types of verbs in early lexicon. Children do not learn only verbs itself but the whole range of language structures that go along. It seems inevitable not to look for connection between syntax and semantics. The analysis has been based on the spontaneous speech sample data collected in two year period for two children, a girl and a boy. Recordings are done weekly, in approximately 45 minutes session in playing, everyday situations with, predominantly, their motheres. Both children are coming from urban, monolingual Croatian families. Transcripts are done by CHILDES programms. On the basis of the extracted verbal lexicon for both children, the analysis of order of their appearance, considering their types and semantics, as well as the analysis of related construction will be provided. Both comparison of input and output language and the two children of different sex will be presented. Discussion should give some additional insights of the early lexicon development in languages that tend to have the prevalence of verbs.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Demografija, Filologija

POVEZANOST RADA