Original scientific paper

Relative clauses without movement and trace: production of relative clauses in children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI)

Maja Balija ; Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, Zagreb
Gordana Hržica ; Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, Zagreb
Jelena Kuvač Kraljević ; Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, Zagreb

Abstract

Embedded subordinate clauses such as relative clauses belong to the final stage of language
development in children and are, therefore, highly debated within psycholinguistics. According
to the generative theory, a number of syntactic procedures are required in order to comprehend
or produce these structures; e.g. syntactic movement and trace, thematic role assignment to the
moved element and co–indexing elements of the relative clause. The acquisition of these structures
is late, at the early school age. For children with SLI relative clauses are an insurmountable
challenge. This study shows significant differences in the production of relative clauses in
children with SLI, which emphasize the diagnostic value of these syntactic structures.

Keywords

relative clauses; sentence acquisition; sentence production; children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI)

Hrčak ID:

94339

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/94339

Publication date:

27.12.2012.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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