TY - JOUR

T1 - L1 acquisition across Portuguese dialects

T2 - Modular and interdisciplinary interfaces as sources of explanation

AU - Pires, Acrisio

AU - Rothman, Jason

AU - Santos, Ana Lúcia

PY - 2011/3/31

Y1 - 2011/3/31

N2 - This study investigates the child (L1) acquisition of properties at the interfaces of morpho-syntax, syntax-semantics and syntax-pragmatics, by focusing on inflected infinitives in European Portuguese (EP). Three child groups were tested, 6-7-year-olds, 9-10-year-olds and 11-12-year-olds, as well as an adult control group. The data demonstrate that children as young as 6 have knowledge of the morpho-syntactic properties of inflected infinitives, although they seem at first glance to show partially insufficient knowledge of their syntax-semantic interface properties (i.e. non-obligatory control properties), differently from children aged 9 and older, who show clearer evidence of knowledge of both types of properties. However, in general, both morpho-syntactic and syntax-semantics interface properties are also accessible to 6-7-year-old children, although these children give preference to a range of interpretations partially different from the adults; in certain cases, they may not appeal to certain pragmatic inferences that permit additional interpretations to adults and older children. Crucially, our data demonstrate that EP children master the two types of properties of inflected infinitives years before Brazilian Portuguese children do (Pires and Rothman, 2009a,b), reasons for and implications of which we discuss in detail.

AB - This study investigates the child (L1) acquisition of properties at the interfaces of morpho-syntax, syntax-semantics and syntax-pragmatics, by focusing on inflected infinitives in European Portuguese (EP). Three child groups were tested, 6-7-year-olds, 9-10-year-olds and 11-12-year-olds, as well as an adult control group. The data demonstrate that children as young as 6 have knowledge of the morpho-syntactic properties of inflected infinitives, although they seem at first glance to show partially insufficient knowledge of their syntax-semantic interface properties (i.e. non-obligatory control properties), differently from children aged 9 and older, who show clearer evidence of knowledge of both types of properties. However, in general, both morpho-syntactic and syntax-semantics interface properties are also accessible to 6-7-year-old children, although these children give preference to a range of interpretations partially different from the adults; in certain cases, they may not appeal to certain pragmatic inferences that permit additional interpretations to adults and older children. Crucially, our data demonstrate that EP children master the two types of properties of inflected infinitives years before Brazilian Portuguese children do (Pires and Rothman, 2009a,b), reasons for and implications of which we discuss in detail.

KW - Acquisition

KW - Change

KW - Infinitive

KW - Inflection

KW - Portuguese

KW - Syntax

U2 - 10.1016/j.lingua.2010.06.002

DO - 10.1016/j.lingua.2010.06.002

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:79951680849

VL - 121

SP - 605

EP - 622

JO - Lingua

JF - Lingua

SN - 0024-3841

IS - 4

ER -