The countering of overgeneralization

2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 875-895 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHRISTINE J. HOWE
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Unpublished Study ◽  
Form Class

Commenting on Goldberg's (1995) ‘construction grammar’, Tomasello (1998) proposes a model of language acquisition in which children move from highly specific utterance–event pairings to abstract, verb-general structures. Despite their many strengths, models of this kind predict considerably more overgeneralization of the argument structures of verbs than seems to occur. In recognition of this, the paper explains (and supports with data from a previously unpublished study of 44 children aged 2;0 to 4;4) how processes which are side effects of the emergence of the verb form class could counter the overgeneralizing tendencies. It is argued that these processes are consistent not just with the model proposed by Tomasello but also (in large part) with the grammatical theory developed by Goldberg.

scholarly journals The Acquisition of Language: Evidence in Syntax

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 85
Author(s):  
Jakov Proroković ◽  
Frane Malenica
Keyword(s):  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Generative Grammar ◽  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Syntactic Bootstrapping ◽  
Main Ideas ◽  
Two Sides

This paper aims to discuss the two main approaches to language acquisition and present the main ideas behind the nativist and the usage-based account. The concomitant argument between the two sides has been present in linguistics ever since the proposal of innateness was provided by the paradigm of mainstream generative grammar (Chomsky 1965). In order to contribute to the ongoing discussion, we will attempt to outline the main challenges that the both theoretical strands are faced with and provide an overview of syntactic evidence provided by linguists whose work was devoted to understanding the mechanisms of language acquisition. Our goal is to analyze the insights provided by the phenomena such as syntactic bootstrapping, poverty of the stimulus, multiple argument realizations and non-canonical syntactic constructions and argue that integrating these findings into a usage-based framework (Tomasello 2000, 2003 - 2009) or various instances of Construction Grammar (Goldberg 1995 - 1996, Fillmore Kay - Fillmore 1999, van Trijp 2016, Steels 2011, inter alia) provides a more plausible and comprehensive explanation of the processes responsible for language acquisition.

„Im Deutschen kan das nicht“ – Text type didactics for the teaching of German modal verb constructions

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-46
Author(s):  
Sabine Jentges
Keyword(s):  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Scientific Debate ◽  
Text Type ◽  
Verb Constructions ◽  
Modal Verb ◽  
Approach To Teaching

Abstract In the Netherlands, the similar origin Dutch shares with German lends itself to a contrastive approach to teaching and learning German and, for this reason, is promoted on all levels. This leads to Dutch textbooks and grammars being almost exclusively contrastive in nature, irrespective of the targeted language level, which is also reflected in the unanimous scientific debate. This paper discusses to which degree construction grammar approaches and/or contrastive approaches can assist the Dutch learner of German in their language acquisition. Advanced Dutch learners of German’s use - or lack thereof - of sollen ‘are supposed to’ vs. sollten ‘should’ in written texts is analyzed and compared to the presentation of this topic in Dutch teaching materials for German as a foreign language. Furthermore, the questions are raised whether a contrastive approach mainly promotes the strategy of avoiding errors stemming from L1 inferences as well as whether a construction grammar approach leads to a more adequate acquisition of the target language. Based on these discussions, possible implementations for teaching soll(t)en to Dutch learners of German are proposed.

Featural dynamics in morphosyntactic change

2021 ◽  
pp. 301-320
Author(s):  
Iris Edda Nowenstein ◽  
Anton Karl Ingason
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Linguistic Change ◽  
Tolerance Principle ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Death Rattle ◽  
Syntactic Information ◽  
Specific Retention ◽  
The Way ◽  
Formal Features

This chapter examines Icelandic Dative Substitution (DS) and argues that two of its diachronic side effects, referred to as Person-Specific Retention and an Elsewhere Condition Death Rattle, are explained by the way in which formal features constrain the trajectory of morphosyntactic change. The study is based on naturally occurring data and a recent language acquisition experiment and the analysis draws on weighted grammatical rules as well as Yang’s Tolerance Principle. It is argued that DS does not necessarily involve a change in the syntax, but should rather be viewed as a change in the interpretation of syntactic information at the interface with morphology, resulting in variability on the surface. The results are analyzed in the context of recent theories on specialization in linguistic change and the dynamics of variation in individuals.

Construction Grammar and Second Language Acquisition

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Ellis
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Statistical Learning ◽  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Learning Processes ◽  
Transfer Effects ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Psychological Analysis ◽  
Form Function

This chapter analyzes second language acquisition in the context of Construction Grammar. It provides evidence for the psychological reality of constructions in a second language and presents a psychological analysis of the effects of form, function, frequency, and contingency that are common to both first and second language construction learning following statistical learning processes which relate input and learner cognition. The chapter also considers crosslinguistic transfer effects and possible future directions for research into constructional approaches to second language acquisition.

Taming English modals

English Today ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 50-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Torres–Martínez
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Modal Auxiliaries

In the present paper, I pursue a Construction Grammar (CxG) characterization of English modal auxiliaries (e.g., can-could, must, have (got) to, should, ought to, need to, will-would) that seeks to add to established lexical approaches. It is argued that Construction Grammar (e.g., Goldberg, 1995, 2006; Tomasello, 2003) can successfully account for underlying modality patterns, the understanding of which can lead to distinct gains for both linguistics and second language acquisition research. To that end, some of the tenets of CxG are invoked.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document