Semantic bias and morphological regularity in the acquisition of tense-aspect morphology: what is the relation?
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Yasuhiro Shirai
Abstract
This article reviews research on English past-tense acquisition to test the validity of the single mechanism model and the dual mechanism model, focusing on regular-irregular dissociation and semantic bias. Based on the review, it is suggested that in L1 acquisition, both regular and irregular verbs are governed by semantics; that is, early use of past tense forms are largely restricted to achievement verbs — regular or irregular. In contrast, some L2 acquisition studies show stronger semantic bias for regular past tense forms (Housen, The development of tense-aspect in English as a second language and the variable influence of inherent aspect, John Benjamins, 2002). It is argued that L1 acquisition of the past-tense morphology can be accounted for adequately — without assuming dual mechanisms — by relying on connectionist-like input-based prototype formation as a mechanism for the development of tense-aspect morphology.
© 2010 Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin/New York
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Articles in the same Issue
- The origins of grammaticalization in the verbalization of experience
- Is perception a directional relationship? On directionality and its motivation in Finnish expressions of sensory perception
- An investigation into Cantonese ESL learners' acquisition of English initial consonant clusters
- Terminal letters, phonemes, and morphemes in Spanish gender assignment
- Semantic bias and morphological regularity in the acquisition of tense-aspect morphology: what is the relation?
- Lexical signaling of information structure in Akan
- Three types of reflexive verbs in German
- Notice from the Board of Editors
