The Interface between the Lexicon and Finiteness Marking in Specific Language Impairment
Issue Date
2009-12-14Author
Hoover, Jill R.
Publisher
University of Kansas
Format
116 pages
Type
Dissertation
Degree Level
Ph.D.
Discipline
Child Language
Rights
This item is protected by copyright and unless otherwise specified the copyright of this thesis/dissertation is held by the author.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Inconsistent omission of finiteness markers is a clinical marker for Specific Language Impairment (SLI). A similar pattern of omission is observed during normal development. Potential limiting factors during this stage of variability are not well understood. This research considered lexical representations, indexed by neighborhood density, as one limiting factor. Study 1 examined the effect of density on variable production of a finiteness marker by 4- and 5-year olds with SLI and by typically developing 3-year olds. The results showed that density was a limiting factor for typically developing children, but not for children with SLI. Study 2 examined the effect of density on finiteness growth in a learning task by children with SLI. Results showed differences in growth for children exposed to dense and sparse verbs. The combined results suggest that lexical representations interact with finiteness to differentially impact production and growth. Differences in density effects across groups are discussed.
Collections
Items in KU ScholarWorks are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.
We want to hear from you! Please share your stories about how Open Access to this item benefits YOU.