LANGUAGE ACQUISITION: A CASE STUDY OF THE SYNTACTIC DEVELOPMENT OF A HAUSA CHILD
LANGUAGE ACQUISITION: A CASE STUDY OF THE SYNTACTIC DEVELOPMENT OF A HAUSA CHILD
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Date
1992
Authors
KATSINA, MUNIR MAMMAN
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Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify the language
acquisition of a 25 to 60 months old boy as it related
to the development of statements, interrogatives, commands
and negatives. The concentration was on the types of
patterns, stages and strategies of language development
adopted by the child and the factors that influenced
their development. It was also the aim of the study to
identify whether or not the child passed through similar
developmental stages, or adopted similar strategies of
language learning as other language acquirers reviewed
in this study.
The subject of the study was observed to pass through
the one word, two word, three word, and sentence stages
of language acquisition. The one word stage ran from
25 to 27 months, while the two word stage was from 27 months
and continued up to 30 months, when three words appeared.
Sentences began to emerge at this stage (i.e 30 months)
and continued to the end of the period of the study
(60 months). Thus, about four developmental stageswere
passed through by the subject in an attempt to acquire
his language.
The patterns of the subject's speech from 25-36 months
ware of the one to two word types accompanied by gestures
and body movement. The patterns of the subject's sentences
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from 36 - li-8 months were of telegraphic speech. He
produced three words without function elements such as
co-ordinators or modifiers. From 48 - 60 months, function
werds were used. Possessive elements such as - na
(mine (m)) and - ta (mine(F)) were attached to the words
signifying the things possessed. The referentials - n
(the known referent (M) and -r (the known referent (F))
alse develeped. Towards the end of the study i. e at
60 months, co-ordinators and conductions were freely
used te Join clauses and sentences.
The subject adopted various strategies in his L-,
acquisition. The first observable strategy was that
of comprehending speech heard from adults before starting
te produce it. It took the subject 20 months of listening,
documenting and observing the adult's speech before he
started te speak at the age of 25 months. When he, however,
started the actual speech, he continued to progress until
he was able te closely master the language at 60 months.
The next observed strategy was that of simultaneous
use of imitation and repetition of the adult's speech.
The subject used to imitate words and sentences heard
from adults and repeated them over and over. The imitation
was tbserved to be systematic, because he imitated only
one or two words of the long adult sentences.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL
FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS.
FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF
PHILOSOPHY
IN
(CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION)
Keywords
LANGUAGE, ACQUISITION