Chapter 4. Extending PT to split ergative marking and differential object marking
-
Kristof Baten
Abstract
This chapter proposes a developmental sequence for the L2 acquisition of two linguistic phenomena in Hindi, namely split ergativity and differential object marking. The proposal builds on the universal key mechanisms of Processability Theory, i.e., the transfer of grammatical information between constituents (i.e., so-called ‘feature unification’) and the linking of arguments and constituents to grammatical functions (so-called ‘a-to-f mappings’ or ‘c-to-f mappings’), which have been successful in explaining the acquisition of case markers cross-linguistically, i.e., in L2 German, L2 Russian, and L2 Serbian. In addition, the proposal will build on newer developments within PT, which give greater weight to semantic considerations, as evident from a study on differential object marking in L2 Spanish. The present chapter will argue for a development that starts with emerging mappings between prototypical semantic characteristics of thematic roles and case marking, and that evolves to eventual associations of these mappings with grammatical functions.
Abstract
This chapter proposes a developmental sequence for the L2 acquisition of two linguistic phenomena in Hindi, namely split ergativity and differential object marking. The proposal builds on the universal key mechanisms of Processability Theory, i.e., the transfer of grammatical information between constituents (i.e., so-called ‘feature unification’) and the linking of arguments and constituents to grammatical functions (so-called ‘a-to-f mappings’ or ‘c-to-f mappings’), which have been successful in explaining the acquisition of case markers cross-linguistically, i.e., in L2 German, L2 Russian, and L2 Serbian. In addition, the proposal will build on newer developments within PT, which give greater weight to semantic considerations, as evident from a study on differential object marking in L2 Spanish. The present chapter will argue for a development that starts with emerging mappings between prototypical semantic characteristics of thematic roles and case marking, and that evolves to eventual associations of these mappings with grammatical functions.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Chapter 1. Processability Theory, second language learning and teaching in the Asia-Pacific region 1
-
Part 1. Asian languages as second languages
- Chapter 2. Studies of Japanese as a second language and their contribution to Processability Theory 27
- Chapter 3. The development of lexical mapping in Chinese L2 63
- Chapter 4. Extending PT to split ergative marking and differential object marking 91
- Chapter 5. Acquiring content questions in Japanese child second language 115
- Chapter 6. Japanese L2 corpora and SLA research 144
-
Part 2. Bilingual first language acquisition and PT
- Chapter 7. The bilingual development of plural marking in a Malay-English child 165
- Chapter 8. Development of Japanese and English polar questions in bilingual first language acquisition 192
-
Part 3. English as Foreign Language (EFL) in Asia
- Chapter 9. Developmentally moderated focus on form in an Indonesian kindergarten EFL programme 231
- Chapter 10. The acquisition of polar questions in Chinese learners of English as a foreign language 258
- Chapter 11. Testing the validity of Processability Theory through a corpus-based analysis 280
- About the authors 301
- Index 305
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Chapter 1. Processability Theory, second language learning and teaching in the Asia-Pacific region 1
-
Part 1. Asian languages as second languages
- Chapter 2. Studies of Japanese as a second language and their contribution to Processability Theory 27
- Chapter 3. The development of lexical mapping in Chinese L2 63
- Chapter 4. Extending PT to split ergative marking and differential object marking 91
- Chapter 5. Acquiring content questions in Japanese child second language 115
- Chapter 6. Japanese L2 corpora and SLA research 144
-
Part 2. Bilingual first language acquisition and PT
- Chapter 7. The bilingual development of plural marking in a Malay-English child 165
- Chapter 8. Development of Japanese and English polar questions in bilingual first language acquisition 192
-
Part 3. English as Foreign Language (EFL) in Asia
- Chapter 9. Developmentally moderated focus on form in an Indonesian kindergarten EFL programme 231
- Chapter 10. The acquisition of polar questions in Chinese learners of English as a foreign language 258
- Chapter 11. Testing the validity of Processability Theory through a corpus-based analysis 280
- About the authors 301
- Index 305
