Functional Categories in Language Acquisition : : Self-Organization of a Dynamical System / / Annette Hohenberger.
This study investigates the acquisition of Functional Categories (e.g., INFL (AGR, TNS), DET, COMP) from the perspective of self-organization in generative grammar. Language is conceived of as a dynamical system which evolves in time and bifurcates when critical thresholds are reached. The emergence...
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Superior document: | Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter DGBA Backlist Complete English Language 2000-2014 PART1 |
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VerfasserIn: | |
Place / Publishing House: | Tübingen : : Max Niemeyer Verlag, , [2011] ©2002 |
Year of Publication: | 2011 |
Edition: | Reprint 2011 |
Language: | English |
Series: | Linguistische Arbeiten ,
456 |
Online Access: | |
Physical Description: | 1 online resource (318 p.) |
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Other title: | I-X -- Part A: Self-Organization and Language Acquisition -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Language Acquisition Research in Generative Grammar: The Classical Models -- 3 Language Acquisition Research in Generative Grammar: New Models -- 4 Liminalia -- Part B: Theme and Variation. Self-Organization in Language Acquisition: Models, Data and Analyses -- 5 Models of Layers and Levels of Syntactic Structures -- 6 Case Morphology -- 7 Finiteness, Non-Finiteness, Verb Placement, and Negation -- 8 The Acquisition of German Wh-Questions: Aspects of Variation in the C-System -- 9 The Position of Adjuncts -- 10 Syntactic Surface Blends -- 11 Functional Neologisms, Proto-Functional Categories, or, Living Dinosaurs -- 12 Precursors: Composition -- Part C: Dynamical Principles and Notions in Language Acquisition -- 13 Oscillations -- 14 Bootstrapping -- 15 Symmetry-Breakers and Predators vs. Matter and Prey: The Relation between Functional and Lexical Categories -- 16 The Trigger -- Part D: Outlook -- 17 Beyond Economy: Ecology -- Abbreviations -- Bibliography |
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Summary: | This study investigates the acquisition of Functional Categories (e.g., INFL (AGR, TNS), DET, COMP) from the perspective of self-organization in generative grammar. Language is conceived of as a dynamical system which evolves in time and bifurcates when critical thresholds are reached. The emergence of syntax as evidenced by the acquisition of Functional Categories is the major bifurcation in child language acquisition. Target values of syntactic parameters are attractors which children approach on individual trajectories. A proposed tripartite scenario of change - from a simple stable state A, via symmetry-breaking in a liminal phase B characterized by variation, to a new complex stable state C - accounts for the dynamics in early grammatical development. Traditional generative issues, such as the acquisition of case-marking, finiteness, V2, and wh-questions, are discussed as well as new issues, such as functional neologisms, and sentential blends. Dynamical notions like precursor, oscillation, symmetry-breaking, and trigger are important explanatory tools. The growing child phrase marker is a fractal mental object which represents syntactic information by way of self-similar extended projections. The book addresses researchers in language acquisition from various theoretical camps: generative, functional, connectionist, by giving new answers to old questions in the light of a novel challenging theory: self-organization. This study investigates the acquisition of Functional Categories from the perspective of self-organization. Syntax emerges through a major bifurcation of the dynamical language system. Dynamical notions such as precursor, oscillation, symmetry-breaking, and trigger are explanatory tools for the dynamics of early child language as evidenced in the acquisition of compounding, case-marking, finiteness, V2, wh-questions, etc. The book addresses researchers from various theoretical camps: generative, functional, connectionist, by giving new answers to old questions in the light of a novel challenging theory: self-organization. |
Format: | Mode of access: Internet via World Wide Web. |
ISBN: | 9783110923520 9783110238570 9783110238457 9783110636970 |
ISSN: | 0344-6727 ; |
DOI: | 10.1515/9783110923520 |
Access: | restricted access |
Hierarchical level: | Monograph |
Statement of Responsibility: | Annette Hohenberger. |