Verbal Inflection in the Acquisition of Kuwaiti Arabic

Autor/in	Aljenaie, Khawla
Titel	Verbal Inflection in the Acquisition of Kuwaiti Arabic
Quelle	In: Journal of Child Language, 37 (2010) 4, S.841-863 (23 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0305-0009
DOI	10.1017/S0305000909990031
Schlagwörter	Semitic Languages; Speech; Verbs; Grammar; Foreign Countries; Error Analysis (Language); Error Patterns; Linguistic Theory; Language Usage; Morphemes; Kuwait + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Arabisch; Hebräisch; Speaking; Sprechen; Grammatik; Ausland; Error analysis; Language; Fehleranalyse; Fehlertyp; Linguistische Theorie; Sprachgebrauch; Morphem
Abstract	This paper investigates the distribution of imperfective and perfective verb inflections in Kuwaiti Arabic. Spontaneous speech of three children (1 ; 8-3; 1) was analyzed for accuracy and error types. The results showed that the verbal inflections appeared correct almost all the time (89-97% of the time). Agreement errors appeared 3-11% of the time. The children did not inflect the verb in obligatory contexts in describing ongoing action 2-12% of the time. It is predicted that children acquiring Arabic would select a default form in place of fully inflected forms. The children used a non-finite form which is identical to the imperfective verbal bare stem to describe ongoing action, which is consistent with Benmamoun's argument (1999, 2000) that the imperfective bare verb is the default form in Arabic. The findings of the study are discussed in the light of the Optional Infinitive (OI) stage argued by Wexler (1994, 1996, 1998). The fact that the non-finite is non-tensed makes this type of behavior consistent with the OI. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10