Features of some ergative languages that impact on acquisition
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Edith L. Bavin
Abstract
Bybee’s (e.g., 2006, 2010, 2013) view is that grammar is the cognitive organisation of one’s experience with the language. Evidence from the language acquisition field supports this approach. A major task for the child in acquiring a language is detecting distributional properties of the language and the co-occurrence of features, that is, identifying the form-function units in the language input. In this chapter, I briefly discuss ergative alignment and present examples from research on the acquisition of ergative languages to show that different cues to ergativity are provided. The examples illustrate that children quickly attune to contexts for ergative marking, identifying regularity and recurring patterns as they construct a grammar.
Abstract
Bybee’s (e.g., 2006, 2010, 2013) view is that grammar is the cognitive organisation of one’s experience with the language. Evidence from the language acquisition field supports this approach. A major task for the child in acquiring a language is detecting distributional properties of the language and the co-occurrence of features, that is, identifying the form-function units in the language input. In this chapter, I briefly discuss ergative alignment and present examples from research on the acquisition of ergative languages to show that different cues to ergativity are provided. The examples illustrate that children quickly attune to contexts for ergative marking, identifying regularity and recurring patterns as they construct a grammar.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgments vii
- The authors’ reflections on Joan ix
- Introduction xv
- Features of some ergative languages that impact on acquisition 1
- Constructional pressures on ‘sit’ in Modern Greek 17
- know and understand in ASL 59
- Traces of demonstrative grammaticalization in Spanish variable subject expression 89
- The company that word-boundary sounds keep 107
- Cumulative exposure to phonetic reducing environments marks the lexicon 127
- A usage-based account for the historical reflexes of ain’t in AAE 155
- Gradient conventionalization of the Spanish expression of ‘becoming’ quedar(se) + ADJ in seven centuries 175
- The evidence add ups 199
- LOOK up about 225
- About the authors 247
- Index 249
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgments vii
- The authors’ reflections on Joan ix
- Introduction xv
- Features of some ergative languages that impact on acquisition 1
- Constructional pressures on ‘sit’ in Modern Greek 17
- know and understand in ASL 59
- Traces of demonstrative grammaticalization in Spanish variable subject expression 89
- The company that word-boundary sounds keep 107
- Cumulative exposure to phonetic reducing environments marks the lexicon 127
- A usage-based account for the historical reflexes of ain’t in AAE 155
- Gradient conventionalization of the Spanish expression of ‘becoming’ quedar(se) + ADJ in seven centuries 175
- The evidence add ups 199
- LOOK up about 225
- About the authors 247
- Index 249
