12. Acquiring diminutive structures and meanings in Hebrew
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Anat Hora
Abstract
The chapter describes an experimental study of the acquisition of derivational diminutives in Hebrew. The study population consisted of 48 children in four age groups: 5–6, 7–8, 10–11, 12–13, and adults. Participants were administered two tasks: an explanation task, and a production task. The learning curves we uncovered begin in kindergarten, with less than one quarter correct productions and about one third correct explanations, and they rise steadily from age 7–8 throughout grade school, especially between ages 9–12. Only from age 12 do Hebrew speakers show that they have mastered the morphological, semantic, pragmatic, and cognitive factors that interact in understanding and producing diminutive forms. Diminutive derivational morphology is thus part of what is termed ‘later language development’, that is, linguistic acquisition during the school years.
Abstract
The chapter describes an experimental study of the acquisition of derivational diminutives in Hebrew. The study population consisted of 48 children in four age groups: 5–6, 7–8, 10–11, 12–13, and adults. Participants were administered two tasks: an explanation task, and a production task. The learning curves we uncovered begin in kindergarten, with less than one quarter correct productions and about one third correct explanations, and they rise steadily from age 7–8 throughout grade school, especially between ages 9–12. Only from age 12 do Hebrew speakers show that they have mastered the morphological, semantic, pragmatic, and cognitive factors that interact in understanding and producing diminutive forms. Diminutive derivational morphology is thus part of what is termed ‘later language development’, that is, linguistic acquisition during the school years.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
- 1. Form and meaning of diminutives in Lithuanian child language 13
- 2. Diminutives in Russian at the early stages of acquisition 43
- 3. The acquisition of diminutives in Croatian 73
- 4. Diminutives in Greek child language 89
- 5. The role of diminutives in the acquisition of Italian morphology 125
- 6. The acquisition of diminutives in Spanish 155
- 7. A longitudinal study of the acquisition of diminutives in Dutch 183
- 8. Diminutives and hypocoristics in Austrian German (AG) 207
- 9. Acquisition of diminutives in Hungarian 231
- 10. Diminutives in Finnish child-directed and child speech 263
- 11. The (scarcity of) diminutives in Turkish child language 279
- 12. Acquiring diminutive structures and meanings in Hebrew 295
- 13. Diminutives provide multiple benefits for language acquisition 319
- Conclusions 343
- Subject index 351
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
- 1. Form and meaning of diminutives in Lithuanian child language 13
- 2. Diminutives in Russian at the early stages of acquisition 43
- 3. The acquisition of diminutives in Croatian 73
- 4. Diminutives in Greek child language 89
- 5. The role of diminutives in the acquisition of Italian morphology 125
- 6. The acquisition of diminutives in Spanish 155
- 7. A longitudinal study of the acquisition of diminutives in Dutch 183
- 8. Diminutives and hypocoristics in Austrian German (AG) 207
- 9. Acquisition of diminutives in Hungarian 231
- 10. Diminutives in Finnish child-directed and child speech 263
- 11. The (scarcity of) diminutives in Turkish child language 279
- 12. Acquiring diminutive structures and meanings in Hebrew 295
- 13. Diminutives provide multiple benefits for language acquisition 319
- Conclusions 343
- Subject index 351
