Usage-Based vs. Rule-Based Learning: The Acquisition of Word Order in 'Wh'-Questions in English and Norwegian
Saved in:
| Title: | Usage-Based vs. Rule-Based Learning: The Acquisition of Word Order in 'Wh'-Questions in English and Norwegian |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Westergaard, Marit |
| Source: | Journal of Child Language. Nov 2009 36(5):1023-1051. |
| Availability: | Cambridge University Press. The Edinburgh Building, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, CB2 8RU, UK. Tel: 800-872-7423; Tel: 845-353-7500; Tel: +44-1223-326070; Fax: 845-353-4141; Fax: +44-1223-325150; e-mail: subscriptions_newyork@cambridge.org; Web site: http://www.cambridge.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Physical Description: | |
| Page Count: | 29 |
| Publication Date: | 2009 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Descriptive |
| Descriptors: | Linguistic Input, Cues, Word Order, Norwegian, Language Acquisition, Language Usage, English, Uncommonly Taught Languages, Verbs, Grammar, Generalization, Child Language |
| DOI: | 10.1017/S0305000909009349 |
| ISSN: | 0305-0009 |
| Abstract: | This paper discusses different approaches to language acquisition in relation to children's acquisition of word order in "wh"-questions in English and Norwegian. While generative models assert that children set major word order parameters and thus acquire a rule of subject-auxiliary inversion or generalized verb second (V2) at an early stage, some constructivist work argues that English-speaking children are simply reproducing frequent "wh"-word+auxiliary combinations in the input. The paper questions both approaches, re-evaluates some previous work, and provides some further data, concluding that the acquisition of "wh"-questions must be the result of a rule-based process. Based on variation in adult grammars, a cue-based model to language acquisition is presented, according to which children are sensitive to minor cues in the input, called micro-cues. V2 is not considered to be one major parameter, but several smaller-scale cues, which are responsible for children's lack of syntactic (over-)generalization in the acquisition process. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2009 |
| Accession Number: | EJ861060 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | This paper discusses different approaches to language acquisition in relation to children's acquisition of word order in "wh"-questions in English and Norwegian. While generative models assert that children set major word order parameters and thus acquire a rule of subject-auxiliary inversion or generalized verb second (V2) at an early stage, some constructivist work argues that English-speaking children are simply reproducing frequent "wh"-word+auxiliary combinations in the input. The paper questions both approaches, re-evaluates some previous work, and provides some further data, concluding that the acquisition of "wh"-questions must be the result of a rule-based process. Based on variation in adult grammars, a cue-based model to language acquisition is presented, according to which children are sensitive to minor cues in the input, called micro-cues. V2 is not considered to be one major parameter, but several smaller-scale cues, which are responsible for children's lack of syntactic (over-)generalization in the acquisition process. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0305-0009 |
| DOI: | 10.1017/S0305000909009349 |
