Chapter 9. Language acquisition in bilectal environments
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Evelina Leivada
Abstract
The linguistic reality of Cyprus is diglossic between the local variety of Cypriot Greek and the official language Standard Modern Greek. One of the better studied differences between the two varieties is clitic placement in syntactic environments where one requires enclisis and the other proclisis. This paper discusses the findings of two studies on the acquisition of object clitics so as to (i) explore the connection between bidialectalism and metalinguistic awareness and (ii) argue that competing motivations are relevant for the linguistic development in diglossic environments. Framed as the Socio-Syntax of Development Hypothesis, the process of constructing a socio-syntactic repertoire captures competing motivations by assuming that the linguistic development of Greek Cypriot children primarily involves the need to resolve linguistic accommodation and adjust to the “high” variety.
Abstract
The linguistic reality of Cyprus is diglossic between the local variety of Cypriot Greek and the official language Standard Modern Greek. One of the better studied differences between the two varieties is clitic placement in syntactic environments where one requires enclisis and the other proclisis. This paper discusses the findings of two studies on the acquisition of object clitics so as to (i) explore the connection between bidialectalism and metalinguistic awareness and (ii) argue that competing motivations are relevant for the linguistic development in diglossic environments. Framed as the Socio-Syntax of Development Hypothesis, the process of constructing a socio-syntactic repertoire captures competing motivations by assuming that the linguistic development of Greek Cypriot children primarily involves the need to resolve linguistic accommodation and adjust to the “high” variety.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Chapter 1. Bridging the gap between language acquisition and sociolinguistics 1
- Chapter 2. The effects of exposure on awareness and discrimination of regional accents by five- and six year old children 43
- Chapter 3. How do social networks influence children’s stylistic practices? 65
- Chapter 4. Child acquisition of sociolinguistic variation 91
- Chapter 5. Acquiring attitudes towards varieties of Dutch 117
- Chapter 6. What is the target variety? 155
- Chapter 7. The relationship between segregation and participation in ethnolectal variants 185
- Chapter 8. Socializing language choices 213
- Chapter 9. Language acquisition in bilectal environments 235
- Chapter 10. Acquisition of phonological variables of a Flemish dialect by children raised in Standard Dutch 267
- Chapter 11. Developmental sociolinguistics and the acquisition of T-glottalling by immigrant teenagers in London 305
- Author index 343
- Subject index 345
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Chapter 1. Bridging the gap between language acquisition and sociolinguistics 1
- Chapter 2. The effects of exposure on awareness and discrimination of regional accents by five- and six year old children 43
- Chapter 3. How do social networks influence children’s stylistic practices? 65
- Chapter 4. Child acquisition of sociolinguistic variation 91
- Chapter 5. Acquiring attitudes towards varieties of Dutch 117
- Chapter 6. What is the target variety? 155
- Chapter 7. The relationship between segregation and participation in ethnolectal variants 185
- Chapter 8. Socializing language choices 213
- Chapter 9. Language acquisition in bilectal environments 235
- Chapter 10. Acquisition of phonological variables of a Flemish dialect by children raised in Standard Dutch 267
- Chapter 11. Developmental sociolinguistics and the acquisition of T-glottalling by immigrant teenagers in London 305
- Author index 343
- Subject index 345
