Linguistics: Verb Argument Structure and Phrase Organization

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Questions and Answers

In which linguistic context do English-speaking toddlers perform better at learning new verbs?

Language-agnostic context

Sparse linguistic context

Error-prone context

Rich linguistic context (correct)

What is a characteristic of Korean sentences in situations similar to the test scene?

Adverbial phrases are mandatory

Noun phrases are usually dropped (correct)

Noun phrases are always included

Verb phrases are emphasized

At what age do children show sensitivity to language-specific differences in learning novel verbs?

36-month-olds

12-month-olds

24-month-olds (correct)

18-month-olds

What is a universal feature of children's language in Stage I?

Only a small group of semantic relations are expressed Signup and view all the answers

Who first observed that children in Stage I mainly express a small group of semantic relations?

Bloom Signup and view all the answers

What type of relations are expressed in children's language in Stage I?

Semantic relations Signup and view all the answers

In which language do noun phrases tend to be dropped in sentences similar to the test scene?

Korean Signup and view all the answers

What is a notable difference in learning novel verbs between English-speaking and Korean-speaking toddlers?

English speakers learn in rich linguistic context, Korean speakers in sparse context Signup and view all the answers

What is a notable feature of children's early sentences?

They are unique and novel combinations of words. Signup and view all the answers

What type of words dominate children's early language?

Content words Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of open-class words?

They freely admit new items as a language evolves. Signup and view all the answers

What is a common feature of children's earliest sentences?

They are simple and lack function words. Signup and view all the answers

What type of words are typically missing in children's early sentences?

Function words Signup and view all the answers

What is a common topic in children's early language?

Possession and location Signup and view all the answers

What is a notable feature of the words used by children in their early sentences?

They are often used in combination with many different words. Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of the inventory of closed-class elements in a language?

It is small and does not change its composition readily. Signup and view all the answers

What is required for the verb 'put' in addition to a subject and an object?

A specified location Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the lexicon in phrase structure?

To determine the argument structure of different verbs Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of applying transformational rules to a sentence?

A rearrangement of the linear order of words in the sentence Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a transformational rule?

Turning a statement into a closely related question Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the d-structure in relation to the s-structure?

To connect the s-structure by transformational rules Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of applying transformational rules to the sentence 'The team will win the game'?

A closely related question such as 'Will the team win the game?' Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a transformational rule in Figure 5.4?

The movement of a whole phrase from the VP to the CompP position Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a transformation that involves the formation of a passive sentence?

Forming a passive sentence from an active sentence Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of marking stuttering in the records?

To count the word only once in its most complete form Signup and view all the answers

How are compound words, such as 'birthday' and 'pocketbook', counted?

As a single word Signup and view all the answers

What is the justification for counting irregular pasts of the verb, such as 'got' and 'did', as one morpheme?

Because there is no evidence that the child relates these to present forms Signup and view all the answers

How are diminutives, such as 'doggie' and 'mommy', counted?

As a single morpheme Signup and view all the answers

What is included in the count of morphemes?

Auxiliaries, catenatives, and inflections Signup and view all the answers

What is the MLU, and how is it calculated?

The average number of morphemes per utterance, calculated by dividing the number of morphemes by the number of utterances Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the study by Miller and Chapman?

To compare the age-MLU relation for a group of children studied cross-sectionally Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the number 100 in the context of the study?

It is the number of utterances used to calculate the MLU Signup and view all the answers

What were the first questions asked by children in the longitudinal study by Bloom, Merkin, and Wootten?

What, where, and who Signup and view all the answers

What concepts are required for encoding how, when, and why questions?

Manner, time, and causality Signup and view all the answers

Why do children have difficulty with negative questions?

Because they require a contracted negative joined to the auxiliary Signup and view all the answers

What type of error do children produce in negative questions, according to Guasti, Thornton, and Wexler (1995)?

Failure to invert the subject and auxiliary Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of children's negative questions during a certain stage?

They often fail to invert the subject and auxiliary Signup and view all the answers

What is a related error that some children produce in negative questions?

Doubling of the auxiliary Signup and view all the answers

What is the reason for children's difficulty with inverting the subject and auxiliary in negative questions?

The reluctance to invert don't with the subject Signup and view all the answers

At what age do children still produce non-adult forms of negative questions, according to Guasti, Thornton, and Wexler (1995)?

Around 5 years old Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Verb Argument Structure

Verbs like "put" require a subject, object, and specified location (e.g., "John put the book on the shelf")
This information is contained in the lexicon and is critical for organizing phrase structures

Transformational Rules

These rules specify how to transform one sentence into a closely related sentence
Involves the movement of heads (lexical items) and whole phrases from one position in a tree structure to another
Results in a rearrangement of the linear order of words in a sentence
Examples: transforming "The team will win the game" into "Will the team win the game?" and "What will the team win?"

Children's Language Acquisition

Children's early sentences are creative, unique, and novel rather than mere imitations of adult sentences
These sentences are simple and accomplished in a systematic way
Content words (nouns, verbs, adjectives) dominate children's language, while function words (prepositions, conjunctions, articles) are usually missing
Certain topics (possession, location, recurrence) are prevalent in children's language

Language-Specific Differences

English-speaking toddlers learn new verbs better in a rich linguistic context (e.g., "The girl is blicking the dog") than in a sparse context (e.g., "Blicking")
Korean-speaking toddlers show the opposite pattern, reflecting differences in language input

Semantic Relations

Studies have shown that children around the world, at the Stage I of language development, express a small group of semantic relations in their language
These relations include possession, location, and recurrence

Measuring Language Development

The Mean Length of Utterance (MLU) is a measure of language development, calculated by dividing the total number of morphemes by the total number of utterances
MLU increases with age, as shown in studies by Roger Brown and Miller and Chapman

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Description

This quiz explores the concept of verb argument structure, including required and optional phrases, and their role in organizing phrase structures in sentences.