This paper examined the stages involved in L1 acquisition of negation in German. Evidence collected from three German children showed that acquisition occurred in three stages: 1. variable placement of NEG, 2. post-verbal placement of NEG, 3. separation of NEG from finite verb. Most interestingly, the end of the article mentioned that the exact same stages of acquisition have been observed in child and adult L2 learners of German. This would suggest that adult learners do have access to UG and go through the same acquisition process as children acquiring their L1.
This paper talks about the acquisition of German negation. According to the author, there are three stages in the acquisition of negation in German (1: variable NEG placement, 2: postverbal NEG placement, and 3: separation of NEG from the finite verb). It was interesting to know that adult L2 German learners pass through the same stages as L1 German children do when they acquire intra-sentential NEG placement.
This paper looked at the acquisition of German negation from a developmental standpoint. It provides some context for past research in identifying the stages of acquisition in this regard, citing Wode, whose understanding of the stages is, according to the author “linguistically superficial”. The author focuses on the position of the negator in relation to the verb, providing evidence from a case study. He identifies new stages of development which differ from those of Wode.
I thought it’s really interesting that there are certain stages in the acquisition of negation placement in the German language and that this applies to both children and adult learners. I wonder if this only occurs in German. It would be interesting to study this on other languages perhaps.
In the Indonesian language for example, there are also two kinds of negation;
a preverbal negation that negates actions and adjectives
(tidak -> Saya tidak pergi ke sekolah = I not go to school -> I don’t go to school)
and another one specifically for negating nouns and personal pronouns
(bukan -> Saya bukan dia = I not him -> I am not him OR
Ini bukan buku saya = This not my book -> This is not my book).
I have noticed adult learners of Indonesian having difficulties and confusion to differentiate the use of these two negations, with beginners often making mistakes. However, up till now I’ve never noticed if there is a process in the acquisition of the ability differentiating Indonesian negation in children acquiring Indonesian as L1. It’s really interesting to find out.
This paper was about the acquisition of German negation. It was very interesting. It says there are 3 different stages, variable, post verbal, and separation. The article says this occurs in both native speakers and l2 learners which has some interesting implications about UG. I think Cindy asked if it occurs in other languages and I also wonder if it does because then it could be used as potential evidence to show that we still have access to the UG as adults
This article presented information on the stages of the acquisition on L1 German negation on children and compared it to the process of L2 German acquisition in adults and found that both groups go through the exact same stages in their acquisition of negation. As others have mentioned, it would be interesting to see if this happens in the acquisition of other languages.
Clahsen’s reassessment of Wode’s four stage theory detailing the acquisition of German negation in children simplifies the acquisition process into three stages of variable, postverbal and separation of the negation from the finite verb. Thus, separation of the negation from the verb appears to be the most complex process for both children and adults to acquire. Clahsen’s parallels between children’s acquisition of German as an L1 and adult’s acquisition of German as an L2 seems to shed light on the fact that the acquisition of functional categories for verbs and their negated forms occurs as both a natural and learned process. German’s separation of negation from a finite verb could be considered as straying from “natural UG†and requires additional cognitive processes. Intra-sentential negation placement for main clauses in German is acquired by children at 3 years and six months and Clahsen is able to conclude based on another longitudinal study he conducted among adult migrant workers that this separation presents further difficulties for L2 German learners.
This paper examined the stages involved in L1 acquisition of negation in German. Evidence collected from three German children showed that acquisition occurred in three stages: 1. variable placement of NEG, 2. post-verbal placement of NEG, 3. separation of NEG from finite verb. Most interestingly, the end of the article mentioned that the exact same stages of acquisition have been observed in child and adult L2 learners of German. This would suggest that adult learners do have access to UG and go through the same acquisition process as children acquiring their L1.
This paper talks about the acquisition of German negation. According to the author, there are three stages in the acquisition of negation in German (1: variable NEG placement, 2: postverbal NEG placement, and 3: separation of NEG from the finite verb). It was interesting to know that adult L2 German learners pass through the same stages as L1 German children do when they acquire intra-sentential NEG placement.
This paper looked at the acquisition of German negation from a developmental standpoint. It provides some context for past research in identifying the stages of acquisition in this regard, citing Wode, whose understanding of the stages is, according to the author “linguistically superficial”. The author focuses on the position of the negator in relation to the verb, providing evidence from a case study. He identifies new stages of development which differ from those of Wode.
I thought it’s really interesting that there are certain stages in the acquisition of negation placement in the German language and that this applies to both children and adult learners. I wonder if this only occurs in German. It would be interesting to study this on other languages perhaps.
In the Indonesian language for example, there are also two kinds of negation;
a preverbal negation that negates actions and adjectives
(tidak -> Saya tidak pergi ke sekolah = I not go to school -> I don’t go to school)
and another one specifically for negating nouns and personal pronouns
(bukan -> Saya bukan dia = I not him -> I am not him OR
Ini bukan buku saya = This not my book -> This is not my book).
I have noticed adult learners of Indonesian having difficulties and confusion to differentiate the use of these two negations, with beginners often making mistakes. However, up till now I’ve never noticed if there is a process in the acquisition of the ability differentiating Indonesian negation in children acquiring Indonesian as L1. It’s really interesting to find out.
This paper was about the acquisition of German negation. It was very interesting. It says there are 3 different stages, variable, post verbal, and separation. The article says this occurs in both native speakers and l2 learners which has some interesting implications about UG. I think Cindy asked if it occurs in other languages and I also wonder if it does because then it could be used as potential evidence to show that we still have access to the UG as adults
This article presented information on the stages of the acquisition on L1 German negation on children and compared it to the process of L2 German acquisition in adults and found that both groups go through the exact same stages in their acquisition of negation. As others have mentioned, it would be interesting to see if this happens in the acquisition of other languages.
Clahsen’s reassessment of Wode’s four stage theory detailing the acquisition of German negation in children simplifies the acquisition process into three stages of variable, postverbal and separation of the negation from the finite verb. Thus, separation of the negation from the verb appears to be the most complex process for both children and adults to acquire. Clahsen’s parallels between children’s acquisition of German as an L1 and adult’s acquisition of German as an L2 seems to shed light on the fact that the acquisition of functional categories for verbs and their negated forms occurs as both a natural and learned process. German’s separation of negation from a finite verb could be considered as straying from “natural UG†and requires additional cognitive processes. Intra-sentential negation placement for main clauses in German is acquired by children at 3 years and six months and Clahsen is able to conclude based on another longitudinal study he conducted among adult migrant workers that this separation presents further difficulties for L2 German learners.