TY - JOUR
T1 - Subject-object asymmetries in the acquisition of Portuguese relative clauses
T2 - Adults vs. children
AU - Costa, João
AU - Lobo, Maria
AU - Silva, Carolina
PY - 2011/5/1
Y1 - 2011/5/1
N2 - Several studies reveal an asymmetry between the acquisition of subject and object relative clauses (Adams, 1990; Berman, 1997; Brown, 1972; Correa, 1982, 1995; de Villiers et al., 1994; de Vincenzi's, 1991; Friedmann et al., 2009; Friedmann and Novogrodsky, 2004; Håkansson and Hansson, 2000; McKee et al., 1998; Roth, 1984; Sheldon, 1974; Tavakolian, 1981; Vasconcelos, 1991). The goal of this paper is to show that a similar asymmetry is found in the acquisition of European Portuguese. Following Belletti and Contemori (2010), we show that, in production, the adult control group also fails to produce object relative clauses. However, similarly to what was found for Italian by Belletti and Contemori, a closer look into the types of productions made by adults and children reveals that only the latter fail to produce relatives. Adults, instead, opt for other grammatical alternative strategies.
AB - Several studies reveal an asymmetry between the acquisition of subject and object relative clauses (Adams, 1990; Berman, 1997; Brown, 1972; Correa, 1982, 1995; de Villiers et al., 1994; de Vincenzi's, 1991; Friedmann et al., 2009; Friedmann and Novogrodsky, 2004; Håkansson and Hansson, 2000; McKee et al., 1998; Roth, 1984; Sheldon, 1974; Tavakolian, 1981; Vasconcelos, 1991). The goal of this paper is to show that a similar asymmetry is found in the acquisition of European Portuguese. Following Belletti and Contemori (2010), we show that, in production, the adult control group also fails to produce object relative clauses. However, similarly to what was found for Italian by Belletti and Contemori, a closer look into the types of productions made by adults and children reveals that only the latter fail to produce relatives. Adults, instead, opt for other grammatical alternative strategies.
KW - Acquisition
KW - Comprehension
KW - European Portuguese
KW - Object relative
KW - Production
KW - Subject relative
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79953099452&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.lingua.2011.02.001
DO - 10.1016/j.lingua.2011.02.001
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:79953099452
SN - 0024-3841
VL - 121
SP - 1083
EP - 1100
JO - Lingua
JF - Lingua
IS - 6
ER -