TY - JOUR
T1 - The Development of Infinitives from Three to Five
AU - Elsenberg, Sarita L.
AU - Cairns, Helen S.
PY - 1994/10
Y1 - 1994/10
N2 - This study investigated the form of infinitival sentences produced by young children and their knowledge of the control properties of this sentence form. Twenty-five children between the ages of 3; 7 and 5; 4 participated in a story completion task designed to elicit infinitive sentences and in an act-out comprehension task. Although the infinitive form was productive for even the youngest children in this study, development of this form was not complete even for the five-year-olds, nor did any child demonstrate adult knowledge of control. In addition, two competing claims regarding order of acquisition (that of Limber, 1973, and Hyams, 1985) were evaluated.
AB - This study investigated the form of infinitival sentences produced by young children and their knowledge of the control properties of this sentence form. Twenty-five children between the ages of 3; 7 and 5; 4 participated in a story completion task designed to elicit infinitive sentences and in an act-out comprehension task. Although the infinitive form was productive for even the youngest children in this study, development of this form was not complete even for the five-year-olds, nor did any child demonstrate adult knowledge of control. In addition, two competing claims regarding order of acquisition (that of Limber, 1973, and Hyams, 1985) were evaluated.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0028528220&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S0305000900009521
DO - 10.1017/S0305000900009521
M3 - Article
C2 - 7852479
AN - SCOPUS:0028528220
SN - 0305-0009
VL - 21
SP - 713
EP - 734
JO - Journal of Child Language
JF - Journal of Child Language
IS - 3
ER -