John Benjamins Publishing Company
Prenominal elements in French-Germanic bilingual first language acquisition
Abstract
This article investigates interference in the determiner phrase in French-Germanic bilingual first language acquisition. Hulk and Müller (2000) propose that cross-linguistic interaction takes place at the syntax/pragmatics interface given a surface overlap between simultaneously acquired languages.We tested this prediction in two domains: (a) the presence of the determiner in adjective-noun combinations and (b) the position of the attributive adjective. Hulk and Müller’s model predicts no interference in either domain.With respect to (a), the results show a delay in the acquisition of the determiner, but it is questionable whether this is caused by interference. Regarding (b), there is actually evidence for interference, suggesting that not only the syntax/pragmatics interface but also narrow syntax can be affected by cross-linguistic interaction.
Abstract
This article investigates interference in the determiner phrase in French-Germanic bilingual first language acquisition. Hulk and Müller (2000) propose that cross-linguistic interaction takes place at the syntax/pragmatics interface given a surface overlap between simultaneously acquired languages.We tested this prediction in two domains: (a) the presence of the determiner in adjective-noun combinations and (b) the position of the attributive adjective. Hulk and Müller’s model predicts no interference in either domain.With respect to (a), the results show a delay in the acquisition of the determiner, but it is questionable whether this is caused by interference. Regarding (b), there is actually evidence for interference, suggesting that not only the syntax/pragmatics interface but also narrow syntax can be affected by cross-linguistic interaction.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- The acquisition of syntax in Romance languages ix
- The production of SE and SELF anaphors in Spanish and Dutch children 3
- On the acquisition of ambiguous Valency-Marking Morphemes 23
- Definite and bare noun contrasts in child Catalan 51
- Null arguments in monolingual children 69
- Prenominal elements in French-Germanic bilingual first language acquisition 95
- A cross-sectional study on the use of “be” in early Italian 117
- Patterns of copula omission in Italian child language 135
- Looking for the universal core of the RI stage 159
- The acquisition of experiencers in Spanish L1 and the external argument requirement hypothesis 183
- Early operators and late topic-drop/pro-drop 203
- The acquisition of A- and A’-bound pronouns in Brazilian Portuguese 227
- Acquiring long-distance wh-questions in L1 Spanish 251
- Evidence from L1 acquisition for the syntax of wh -scope marking in French * 289
- Acquisition of focus marking in European Portuguese 319
- Subject pronouns in bilinguals 331
- Is the semantics/syntax interface vulnerable in l2 acquisition? 353
- The development of the syntax-information structure interface 371
- Beyond the syntax of the Null Subject Parameter 401
- Index 419
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- The acquisition of syntax in Romance languages ix
- The production of SE and SELF anaphors in Spanish and Dutch children 3
- On the acquisition of ambiguous Valency-Marking Morphemes 23
- Definite and bare noun contrasts in child Catalan 51
- Null arguments in monolingual children 69
- Prenominal elements in French-Germanic bilingual first language acquisition 95
- A cross-sectional study on the use of “be” in early Italian 117
- Patterns of copula omission in Italian child language 135
- Looking for the universal core of the RI stage 159
- The acquisition of experiencers in Spanish L1 and the external argument requirement hypothesis 183
- Early operators and late topic-drop/pro-drop 203
- The acquisition of A- and A’-bound pronouns in Brazilian Portuguese 227
- Acquiring long-distance wh-questions in L1 Spanish 251
- Evidence from L1 acquisition for the syntax of wh -scope marking in French * 289
- Acquisition of focus marking in European Portuguese 319
- Subject pronouns in bilinguals 331
- Is the semantics/syntax interface vulnerable in l2 acquisition? 353
- The development of the syntax-information structure interface 371
- Beyond the syntax of the Null Subject Parameter 401
- Index 419
