Eintrag

Titel

Suffix predictability and stem transparency in the acquisition of German noun plurals

Personen

Sabine Laaha, Wolfgang U. Dressler

Jahr

2012

Typ

Aufsatz

Verlag

John Benjamins Publishing Co.

Ort

Amsterdam, Philadelphia

Seiten

217 - 236

In

Current Issues in Morphological Theory. (Ir)regularity, analogy and frequency. Selected papers from the 14th International Morphology Meeting, Budapest, 13–16 May 2010

Schlagwörter

Plural
Spracherwerb
Suffix

Abstract

This study examines the impact of suffix and stem properties on children’s acquisition of German noun plural morphology. As to suffix selection, we distinguish three levels of predictability: highly predictable, partially predictable and exceptional, based on sonority/gender distributions in actual language use. As to stem change, we distinguish three levels of transparency: no change, slight change (revoicing) and strong change (Umlaut). The relevance of suffix predictability and stem transparency is tested in 140 German-speaking children from the age of three to nine years, by using a plural elicitation task. Results show that both variables have an impact on children’s correct production of plural forms; there was no significant interaction between the two variables in the acquisition process. The results are discussed with regard to single- and dual-route models of morphology and acquisition.

https://grammis.ids-mannheim.de/bdg/74856