Investigations in Universal Grammar: A Guide to Experiments on the Acquisition of Syntax and Semantics (Language, Speech, and Communication)

This introductory guide to language acquisition research is presented within the framework of Universal Grammar, a theory of the human faculty for language. The authors focus on two experimental techniques for assessing children's linguistic competence: the Elicited Production task, a production task, and the Truth Value Judgment task, a comprehension task. Their methodologies are designed to overcome the numerous obstacles to empirical investigation of children's language competence. They produce research results that are more reproducible and less likely to be dismissed as an artifact of improper experimental procedure. In the first section of the book, the authors examine the fundamental assumptions that guide research in this area; they present both a theory of linguistic competence and a model of language processing. In the following two sections, they discuss in detail their two experimental techniques. This Introductory Guide To Language Acquisition Research Is Presented Within The Framework Of Universal Grammar, A Theory Of The Human Faculty For Language. The Authors Focus On Two Experimental Techniques For Assessing Children's Linguistic Competence; The Elicited Production Task, A Production Task, And The Truth Value Judgment Task, A Comprehension Task. Their Methodologies Are Designed To Overcome The Numerous Obstacles To Empirical Investigation Of Children's Language Competence. They Produce Research Results That Are More Reproducible And Less Likely To Be Dismissed As An Artifact Of Improper Experimental Procedure. Pt. I. The Modularity Matching Model. Ch. 1. Introduction. Ch. 2. Constraints And Universal Grammar. Ch. 3. The Poverty Of The Stimulus. Ch. 4. Models Of Language Development. Ch. 5. Continuity Versus Input Matching. Ch. 6. The Competing Factors Model. Ch. 7. Competing Tasks: Reaction Time Studies. Ch. 8. Competing Tasks: The Act Out Task. Ch. 9. Competing Tasks: Imitation. Ch. 10. Judgment Tasks And Competing Factors. Ch. 11. Context And Competing Factors. Ch. 12. Language Processing. Ch. 13. Extralinguistic Knowledge. Ch. 14. When Principles And Preferences Collide. Ch. 15. Performance Errors. Ch. 16. Methodological Preliminaries Pt. Ii. The Elicited Production Task. Ch. 17. Elicited Production. Ch. 18. Eliciting Relative Clauses. Ch. 19. Asking Questions: The Ask/tell Problem. Ch. 20. Structure Dependence. Ch. 21. Wanna Contraction. Ch. 22. Long Distance Questions And The Medial Wh. Ch. 23. Why Children Make Good Subjects. Ch. 24. Summary Of Designs Pt. Iii. The Truth Value Judgment Task. Ch. 25. Truth Value Judgments. Ch. 26. Backward Anaphora. Ch. 27. Fundamentals Of Design: Principle C. Ch. 28. What's Wrong With This Picture? Ch. 29. Strong Crossover. Ch. 30. Strongest Crossover. Ch. 31. Principle B. Ch. 32. Following Up On Principle B. Ch. 33. Sets And Circumstances. Ch. 34. Discourse Binding. Ch. 35. Universal Quantification. Ch. 36. Donkey Sentences. Ch. 37. A Potential Drawback Of The Task. Ch. 38. Resolving The Dilemma: Control Sentences. Ch. 39. Resolving The Dilemma: Varying The Context. Ch. 40. Conclusion. Stephen Crain And Rosalind Thornton. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [321]-338) And Index.

This introductory guide to language acquisition research is presented within the framework of Universal Grammar, a theory of the human faculty for language. The authors focus on two experimental techniques for assessing childrens linguistic competence: the Elicited Production task, a production task, and the Truth Value Judgment task, a comprehension task. Their methodologies are designed to overcome the numerous obstacles to empirical investigation of childrens language competence. They produce research results that are more reproducible and less likely to be dismissed as an artifact of improper experimental procedure.In the first section of the book, the authors examine the fundamental assumptions that guide research in this area; they present both a theory of linguistic competence and a model of language processing. In the following two sections, they discuss in detail their two experimental techniques.