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Wh-Questions are understood before polar-questions: Evidence from English, German, and Chinese
Sara Moradlou1, Xiaobei Zheng2, Ye Tian1,3
1Université de Paris, CNRS, LLF, France.
Journal of Child Language
|May 29, 2020
Summary
Children understand certain wh-questions before polar questions, challenging complexity-based theories. Findings support interactive learning in early language acquisition of question comprehension.
Area of Science:
- Linguistics
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Language Acquisition
Background:
- Theories on question comprehension development often focus on linguistic complexity.
- Interactive learning models suggest that input frequency and conversational context influence acquisition order.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the emergence order of wh-question and polar-question comprehension in children.
- To compare theoretical predictions regarding question acquisition with empirical data.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of the Providence corpus for early question comprehension.
- Elicitation studies with German and Chinese speaking children.
Main Results:
- Corpus data indicated earlier understanding of certain wh-questions compared to polar questions.
- Elicitation studies confirmed this finding across different language backgrounds.
Conclusions:
- The emergence of wh-question comprehension precedes polar questions, contrary to complexity-based predictions.
- Findings align with interactive learning models, emphasizing the role of input and interaction in language development.
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