Abstract:
The clause chain is an under-investigated complex sentence type, found in hundreds of languages. In a clause chain, as many as 20 or more \'medial\' clauses with under-specified verbal predicates combine with a single \'final\' clause with fully-specified verbal predicate. Clause chains are of interest for three main reasons: (a) the special syntactic relationship between clauses, which is neither textbook subordination nor coordination; (b) the potential extreme length of a single chain; and (c) switch-reference marking in clause chains of some languages could require speakers to plan at least one clause ahead as they speak. Research on child production of complex sentences has largely overlooked clause chains. Longitudinal data for three children aged 1;1 to 3;3 acquiring the Papuan language Nungon show that Nungon-speaking children begin producing clause chains around the age of 2;4, with a marked increase in rate of use around age 2;11. Chain length is limited to two clauses until age 3;1. Different-subject marking in medial clauses is used by all three children early, but is first attested in one-clause, \'root medial\' contexts, rather than in chains. Bayesian statistical models confirm the strong tendency for children to use root medials in expressions of desires and commands. Children\'s production of three types of complex sentences-clause chains, subordinated final clauses, and coordinated final clauses-is shown to be subject to the same type of developmental constraint; but once development reaches an adequate level for increased complex sentence production, children acquiring Nungon produce many more clause chains than complex sentences involving subordinated or coordinated final clauses.
摘要:
从句链是一种未被充分研究的复杂句子类型,在数百种语言中发现。在子句链中,多达20个或更多带有指定的言语谓词的“medial\”子句与带有完全指定的言语谓词的单个“final\”子句相结合。子句链之所以感兴趣,主要有三个原因:(a)子句之间的特殊句法关系,这既不是教科书的从属地位,也不是协调;(b)单链的潜在极端长度;(c)某些语言的条款链中的转换参考标记可能要求发言者在发言时提前计划至少一个条款。复杂句子的儿童生产研究在很大程度上忽略了从句链。三个1岁儿童的纵向数据;1至3;3获得巴布亚语Nungon的儿童表明,说Nungon语的儿童在2岁左右开始产生条款链;4,在2岁左右使用率显着提高;11。链长限于两个条款,直到3岁;1.所有三个孩子早期都使用中间条款中的不同主题标记,但首先在一个条款中证明,\'根中间\'上下文,而不是锁链。贝叶斯统计模型证实了儿童在表达欲望和命令时使用根介质的强烈趋势。儿童生产三种类型的复杂句子从句链,从属最后条款,和协调的最终从句-被证明受到相同类型的发展约束;但是一旦发展达到增加复杂句子产生的足够水平,获得Nungon的孩子比涉及从属或协调的最终条款的复杂句子产生更多的条款链。