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Grammaire et pouvoir global de computation: deux sources de difficultés possibles dans la production des relatives chez les enfants francophones

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2016

Cathy Fragman
Cathy Fragman*
Affiliation:
Université d’Ottawa
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Abstract

The present study compares relative clause production in French learners and in mature speakers. Previous studies on French postulate deficiencies in children’s grammar of relatives in order to explain their defective production (Labelle 1990; Guasti and Shlonsky 1995). However, these studies do not strictly compare child and adult data. A new production task was administered to 25 French learners ages 4 to 7, and to 25 adults. Three types of stimuli were presented in order to elicit subject, direct object and indirect object relatives. Results show that children’s performance varies according to the type of stimuli presented, and that the performance of adults is qualitatively similar. These patterns undermine the notion that a given component of UG is either inoperative or unspecified in the developing grammar. Such unsteady lacunae point more naturally to peripheral processing limitations in learners rather than core deficiencies within their grammar proper (cf. Goodluck and Tavakolian 1982).

Résumé

Résumé

La présente étude propose une comparaison détaillée de la production des relatives chez l’enfant francophone et chez l’adulte. Les études antérieures imputent aux enfants un manque dans leur grammaire des relatives afin d’expliquer leurs productions erronées (Labelle 1990; Guasti et Shlonsky 1995). Or, ces études ne comparent pas étroitement les productions d’enfants et d’adultes. Des nouvelles données ont été obtenues chez 25 apprentis francophones (4 à 7 ans) et chez 25 adultes. Trois types de stimuli ont été présentés aux sujets afin d’inciter chez eux la production de relatives sujet, COD et COI. Nos résultats révèlent que la performance des enfants varie selon le type de stimuli présenté, et que celle des adultes se manifeste d’une façon qualitativement analogue. Ces tendances s’expliquent en attribuant au jeune locuteur une grammaire des relatives essentiellement équivalente à celle de l’adulte, mais un pouvoir global de computation plus limité (cf. Goodluck et Tavakolian 1982).

Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Linguistics/Revue canadienne de linguistique , Volume 45 , Special Issue 1-2: Syntaxe et acquisition du francais langue maternelle , June 2000 , pp. 7 - 48
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Linguistic Association 2000

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