Arabic plurals and root and pattern morphology in Palestinian and Egyptian heritage speakers

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elabbas Benmamoun ◽  
Abdulkafi Albirini ◽  
Silvina Montrul ◽  
Eman Saadah
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Word Formation ◽  
Heritage Speakers ◽  
Good Grasp ◽  
Arabic Morphology ◽  
Picture Description ◽  
Arabic Dialects ◽  
Description Task ◽  
Palestinian Arabic ◽  
Linguistic Approaches

This study investigates heritage speakers’ knowledge of plural formation in their colloquial varieties of Arabic, which use both concatenative and non-concatentative modes of derivation. In the concatenative derivation, a plural suffix attaches to the singular stem (muhandis ‘engineer-sg.’ → muhandis-iin ‘engineer-pl’); in the non-concatenative, the relation between the singular (gamal ‘camel’) and the plural (gimaal ‘camels’) typically involves vocalic and prosodic alternations with the main shared similarity between the two forms being the consonantal root (e.g., g-m-l). In linguistic approaches, non-concatenative patterns have been captured in different ways, though the earliest and most recognizable approach involves the mapping of a consonantal root onto a plural template. We investigated heritage speakers’ knowledge of the root and pattern system in two independent experiments. In Experiment 1, oral narratives were elicited from 20 heritage speakers and 20 native speakers of Egyptian and Palestinian Arabic. In Experiment 2, another group of 24 heritage speakers and 24 native speakers of the same dialects completed an oral picture-description task. The results of the two experiments show that heritage speakers’ knowledge of the root and pattern system of Arabic is not target-like. Yet, they have a good grasp of the root and template as basic units of word formation in their heritage Arabic dialects. We discuss implications for debates about the acquisition of the root and pattern system of Arabic morphology.

scholarly journals PRIMING DATIVE CLITICS IN SPOKEN SPANISH AS A SECOND AND HERITAGE LANGUAGE

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Irati Hurtado ◽  
Silvina Montrul
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Structural Priming ◽  
Heritage Speakers ◽  
Baseline Study ◽  
Second Language Speakers ◽  
Picture Description ◽  
Description Task

Abstract Spanish monolingual speakers often produce recipient (Pedro le da un lápiz a María) and nonrecipient constructions (Antonio le lava la camiseta a Carmen) doubled by a dative clitic. Second language speakers and heritage speakers usually avoid clitics. This study examined whether structural priming could effectively increase the production of clitics in monolingual speakers (N = 23), L2 speakers (N = 28), and heritage speakers (N = 24). Participants completed a baseline study that measured the use of clitics in a picture description task, followed by a priming treatment, an immediate posttest, and a posttest a week later. Results showed that priming increased clitic production for all groups, and that the increase was still significant a week later in L2 speakers and heritage speakers. These findings support the view that structural priming may implicate implicit language learning and considers its pedagogical implications.

Le Traitement Prototypique

1996 ◽  
Vol 55 ◽  
pp. 187-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marzena Watorek
Keyword(s):  
Production Process ◽  
Language Production ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Advanced Learners ◽  
Differential Processing ◽  
Main Structure ◽  
Picture Description ◽  
Description Task ◽  
Linguistic Means ◽  
Temporal Adverbs

This paper presents results from a study of the language production of native speakers and advanced learners. Four groups often speakers (native French, native Italian, Italian learners of French, French learners of Italian) performed a picture description task, and a comparison was made between the information contained in the productions of natives vs. learners, and the linguistic means used to convey this information. It was found that the processing of identical chunks of information ranged along a continuum from the analytic to the synthetic, from learners to natives, respectively. Two examples of this differential processing are discussed in detail: firstly, the division of the discourse into main structure and side structure, and secondly, the locating of entities in the picture. The former distinction emerges much more clearly in learner than in native production, and for the latter function, learners resort more frequently than native speakers to temporal adverbs such as puis/più and particles such as aussi/anche, in addition to purely spatial means. Overall, it is shown that learners have a more neutral way of processing the task (Von Strutterheim's "prototypische Bearbeitung"), and it is argued in conclusion that it is precisely this charactristic of learner production which allows insights into both the structure of (descriptive) discourse and the language production process.

THE ACQUISITION AND INTERPRETATION OF ENGLISH LOCATIVE CONSTRUCTIONS BY NATIVE SPEAKERS OF KOREAN

2001 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Bley-Vroman ◽  
Hye-Ri Joo
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Test Instrument ◽  
Locative Alternation ◽  
Ground Object ◽  
Picture Description ◽  
Equivalent Test ◽  
Description Task ◽  
Korean Learners ◽  
Korean Learners Of English

The English locative alternation relates sentences of the type John loaded hay onto the wagon to those of the type John loaded the wagon with hay. Some locative verbs occur in both of these patterns, others in only one or the other. It is known that there are differences among languages with respect to which verbs are possible. The present research focuses on the constructional meaning of the locative alternation and on the constraints governing verbs that can participate in the alternation. One characteristic of the “ground-object” locative is that the object tends to be viewed as completely affected. This is known as the holism effect. Additionally, English has certain narrow constraints on the verbs that can occur in the two constructions. This study investigates whether native speakers of Korean learning English develop knowledge of the holism effect in the English locative and knowledge of the narrow constraints. English native speakers and Korean learners of English participated in a forced-choice picture-description task. Native speakers of Korean also judged an equivalent test instrument in Korean. The primary results are these: When given a ground-object structure, both learners and English native speakers preferentially chose a ground-holism picture. We interpret this as a reflection of the holism effect: Learners, like native speakers, have knowledge of this aspect of the constructional meaning of the locative. English native speakers also show their knowledge of the narrow conflation classes by rejecting ground-object structures containing verbs that are not permitted in this structure, even if the picture would be appropriate. Korean learners show no effect for narrow verb class. We interpret this as showing that the learners have not achieved native-speaker knowledge of the narrow classes. Korean uses a different basis for verb classification.

Discourse characteristics of patients with mild Alzheimer's disease: Analysis of a picture description task and a procedural explanation task.

2001 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 152-161
Author(s):  
Rumi Honda ◽  
Harumi Matuura ◽  
Yoko Takatuki ◽  
Toshiko S. Watamori ◽  
Noriko Kamakura
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Picture Description ◽  
Description Task ◽  
Disease Analysis

Identification of Mild Cognitive Impairment Among Chinese Based on Multiple Spoken Tasks

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Tianqi Wang ◽  
Yin Hong ◽  
Quanyi Wang ◽  
Rongfeng Su ◽  
Manwa Lawrence Ng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Lexical Retrieval ◽  
Semantic Fluency ◽  
Late Fusion ◽  
Single Task ◽  
Sentence Repetition ◽  
Picture Description ◽  
Description Task

Background: Previous studies explored the use of noninvasive biomarkers of speech and language for the detection of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Yet, most of them employed single task which might not have adequately captured all aspects of their cognitive functions. Objective: The present study aimed to achieve the state-of-the-art accuracy in detecting individuals with MCI using multiple spoken tasks and uncover task-specific contributions with a tentative interpretation of features. Methods: Fifty patients clinically diagnosed with MCI and 60 healthy controls completed three spoken tasks (picture description, semantic fluency, and sentence repetition), from which multidimensional features were extracted to train machine learning classifiers. With a late-fusion configuration, predictions from multiple tasks were combined and correlated with the participants’ cognitive ability assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Statistical analyses on pre-defined features were carried out to explore their association with the diagnosis. Results: The late-fusion configuration could effectively boost the final classification result (SVM: F1 = 0.95; RF: F1 = 0.96; LR: F1 = 0.93), outperforming each individual task classifier. Besides, the probability estimates of MCI were strongly correlated with the MoCA scores (SVM: –0.74; RF: –0.71; LR: –0.72). Conclusion: Each single task tapped more dominantly to distinct cognitive processes and have specific contributions to the prediction of MCI. Specifically, picture description task characterized communications at the discourse level, while semantic fluency task was more specific to the controlled lexical retrieval processes. With greater demands on working memory load, sentence repetition task uncovered memory deficits through modified speech patterns in the reproduced sentences.

An exploratory study on pro-drop in a written description task in L2 Spanish

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
An Vande Casteele ◽  
Alejandro Palomares Ortiz
Keyword(s):  
Language Learners ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Spanish Speakers ◽  
Control Group ◽  
L2 Spanish ◽  
Spanish Language Learners ◽  
Description Task ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Written Description

Abstract The present article aims at investigating the pro-drop phenomenon in L2 Spanish. The phenomenon of pro-drop or null subject is a typological feature of some languages, which are characterized by an implicit subject in cases of topic continuity. More specifically, behaviour regarding subject (dis)continuity in Spanish differs from French. This paper will offer a contrastive analysis on subject realisation by French learners of L2 Spanish compared to L1 Spanish speakers. So, the goal of this pilot study is to see if a different functioning in pro-drop in the mother tongue also influences the L2. The study is based upon a written description task presented to the two groups of participants: the experimental group of French mother tongue L2 Spanish language learners and the control group of Spanish native speakers.

How “Native” Are Heritage Speakers?

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvina Montrul
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Experimental Evidence ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Age Of Acquisition ◽  
The Other ◽  
Gender Agreement ◽  
Heritage Speakers ◽  
High Incidence ◽  
Incomplete Acquisition

One of the chief characteristics of heritage speakers is that they range in proficiency from “overhearers” to “native” speakers. To date, the vast majority of linguistic and psycholinguistic studies have characterized the non-target-like linguistic abilities of heritage speakers as a product of incomplete acquisition and/or attrition due to reduced exposure and opportunities to use the language during childhood. This article focuses on the other side of the problem, emphasizing instead the high incidence of native-like abilities in adult heritage speakers. I illustrate this issue with recent experimental evidence from gender agreement in Spanish, a grammatical feature that is mastered at almost 100% accuracy in production by native speakers;yet it is one of the most difficult areas to master for non-native speakers, including near-natives.I discuss how age of acquisition and language-learning experience explain these effects.

LEXICOGRAPHICAL PORTRAIT OF THE LEXEME «POGRYAZNUT’» (X - XVII CENTURIES)

2021 ◽  
pp. 23-30
Author(s):  
Е.Ю. Долгова
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Word Formation ◽  
Russian Language ◽  
Distinctive Features ◽  
Old Russian ◽  
Slavonic Language ◽  
Abstract Nouns ◽  
Derivatives Of ◽  
The Church ◽  
The Russian Language

Статья посвящена описанию глагола «погрязнуть» по лексикографическим источникам, фиксирующим словарный состав русского языка X - XVII вв. В работе используется метод лингвистического портретирования, позволяющий объединить данные этимологических и исторических словарей и увидеть динамику развития семантического, словообразовательного, сочетаемостного и стилистического потенциала языковой единицы в диахронии. В статье подробно изложены материалы этимологических и исторических словарей русского языка, приведены и описаны многочисленные варианты употребления имперфектива грязнуть и перфектива погрязнуть, зафиксированные в словарях, содержащих лексику древнерусского и старорусского периодов: гр#зъти, гр#зhти, гр#зити, гр#знqти, погрязати - погр#зти, погр#зити, погр#знqти. Установлено, что в древнерусском языке глагол гр#зноути (гр`t#знuти) имел прямое номинативное значение «погружаться, тонуть» и редко употреблялся в памятниках письменности. Многозначным и наиболее частотным был положительный, результативный член глагольной видовой пары перфектив погрязнуть (погр#зноути). В статье приведены все лексико-семантические варианты глагола и примеры словоупотреблений, зафиксированные в словарях, отражающих лексику X - XVII веков. В статье приведены синонимы и многочисленные дериваты глагола погрязнуть , в том числе рассмотрена семантика абстрактных существительных, образованных от глагола погрязнуть ( погрязение, погрязнение, погрязновение ) и отражающих влияние церковнославянского языка на книжно-письменный литературный язык древнерусского и старорусского периодов. Лексикографический портрет лексемы погрязнуть проявляет неоднозначность в трактовке некоторых значений в разные исторические периоды. Проведенный анализ позволяет сравнить значения лексемы, увидеть их отличительные особенности и сделать вывод о существовании самостоятельных стереотипных образов, существующих в сознании носителей языка в X - XVII веках. The article is devoted to the description of the verb "to wallow" from lexicographic sources that fix the vocabulary of the Russian language of the X - XVII centuries. The method of linguistic portraiture is used to combine data from etymological and historical dictionaries and see the dynamics of the development of the semantic, word-formation and stylistic potential of the language unit in the diachrony. The article details the materials of etymological and historical dictionaries of the Russian language, presents and describes numerous variants of the use of an imperfective “gryaznut’” and a perfective “pogryaznut’”, recorded in dictionaries containing the vocabulary of the Russian language of the X - XVII centuries. It has been established that in the ancient Russian language, the imperfective “gryaznut’” had a direct nominative meaning of "dive, sink" and was rarely used in monuments of writing. The multi-valued and most frequency used was the positive, effective perfective “pogryaznut’”. The article presents all lexical and semantic variants of the verb and examples of word usage recorded in dictionaries that reflect the vocabulary of the X - XVII centuries. The article presents synonyms and numerous derivatives of the verb, including the semantics of abstract nouns formed from the verb “pogryaznut’” and reflecting the influence of the Church Slavonic language on the book-written literary language of the old Russian period. The lexicographic portrait of the lexeme “pogryaznut’” shows ambiguity in the interpretation of certain meanings in different historical periods. The analysis allows us to compare the meanings of the lexeme, see their distinctive features and conclude that there are independent stereotypical images that exist in the minds of native speakers in the X - XVII centuries.

scholarly journals A STUDY ON PATTERN OF CODE MIXING IN A SEQUENTIAL BILINGUAL YOUNG ADULTS

2021 ◽  
pp. 188-192
Author(s):  
Prabhu S ◽  
Ruba S ◽  
Dr. Kala Samayan
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Young Adult ◽  
Clinical Decision ◽  
Bilingual Speakers ◽  
Speech Language Pathologist ◽  
Code Mixing ◽  
Bilingual Speaker ◽  
Picture Description ◽  
Description Task ◽  
Age Range

The present study aimed to investigate and compares the pattern of Code Mixing in Sequential bilingual young adult. Thirty Sequential bilingual (Tamil-English) adults between the age range of 18-25 years were participated in this study. The bilingual participants were asked to describe the cookie-theft picture in Tamil. The patterns of Code Mixing (Intra Sentential Mixing and Intra Lexical Mixing) were analysed from the collected data. The results showed sequential bilingual adult uses 4.8% of Intra Sentential Mixing and 5.3% of Intra Lexical Mixing. In pattern of Code Mixing, Intra Sentential Mixing found to more in women. The present study concluded that Sequential bilingual speaker uses slightly higher percentage of Intra Lexical Mixing when compared to Intra Sentential Mixing in the picture description task. This finding will help Speech Language Pathologist to plan assessment, intervention and to development appropriate material for Sequential bilingual speakers in making clinical decision.

scholarly journals Sign Order in Slovenian Sign Language Transitive and Ditransitive Sentences

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 199-220
Author(s):  
Matic Pavlič
Keyword(s):  
Sign Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
Picture Description ◽  
Classifier Predicates ◽  
Description Task

The basic sign order in Slovenian Sign Language (SZJ) is Subject-Verb-Object (SVO). This is shown by analysing non-topicalised or focalised transitive and ditransitive sentences that were elicited from first language SZJ informants using Picture Description Task. The data further reveal that the visual-gestural modality, through which SZJ is transmitted, plays a role in linearization since visually influenced classifier predicates trigger the non-basic SOV sign order in this language.

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