A Cue-Based Approach to the Acquisition of Grammatical Gender in Russian
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| Title: | A Cue-Based Approach to the Acquisition of Grammatical Gender in Russian |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Rodina, Yulia, Westergaard, Marit |
| Source: | Journal of Child Language. Nov 2012 39(5):1077-1106. |
| 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: | 30 |
| Publication Date: | 2012 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Language Processing, Semantics, Language Acquisition, Cues, Morphology (Languages), Inferences, Nouns, Russian, Form Classes (Languages), Monolingualism, Syntax, Child Language, Linguistic Theory, Grammar |
| DOI: | 10.1017/S0305000911000419 |
| ISSN: | 0305-0009 |
| Abstract: | This article discusses the acquisition of gender in Russian, focusing on some exceptional subclasses of nouns that display a mismatch between semantics and morphology. Experimental results from twenty-five Russian-speaking monolinguals (age 2 ; 6-4 ; 0) are presented and, within a cue-based approach to language acquisition, we argue that children rely on certain morphosyntactic micro-cues in the course of acquisition of semantic agreement. A discrepancy is observed in the acquisition of semantic agreement across the different noun classes, and this suggests that children are highly sensitive to fine distinctions in syntax and morphology and use detailed input information to make specific inferences concerning the gender of different noun classes. Furthermore, we argue that acquisition data may provide a more accurate account of how gender assignment proceeds in the mind of a speaker than has been traditionally assumed by gender assignment theories. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2013 |
| Accession Number: | EJ993576 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | This article discusses the acquisition of gender in Russian, focusing on some exceptional subclasses of nouns that display a mismatch between semantics and morphology. Experimental results from twenty-five Russian-speaking monolinguals (age 2 ; 6-4 ; 0) are presented and, within a cue-based approach to language acquisition, we argue that children rely on certain morphosyntactic micro-cues in the course of acquisition of semantic agreement. A discrepancy is observed in the acquisition of semantic agreement across the different noun classes, and this suggests that children are highly sensitive to fine distinctions in syntax and morphology and use detailed input information to make specific inferences concerning the gender of different noun classes. Furthermore, we argue that acquisition data may provide a more accurate account of how gender assignment proceeds in the mind of a speaker than has been traditionally assumed by gender assignment theories. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0305-0009 |
| DOI: | 10.1017/S0305000911000419 |
