Investigations in universal grammar: a guide to experiments on the acquisition of syntax and semantics

Research output: Book/ReportBookpeer-review

Abstract

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.
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationCambridge, Mass.
PublisherMIT Press
Number of pages342
ISBN (Print)0262032503
Publication statusPublished - 1998
Externally publishedYes

Publication series

NameLanguage, speech, and communication
PublisherMIT Press

Keywords

  • Language acquisition -- Research -- Methodology
  • Grammar, Comparative and general -- Syntax
  • Semantics
  • Competence and performance (Linguistics)

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