In the language acquisition process, children acquire words by simultaneously trying to comprehend how language functions and expressing forms which they have learned for meanings they wish to convey.
Children are very skillful at identifying words in the stream of sounds, attributing meaning to them, segmenting them into smaller parts, and detecting rules of word structure. When they create words themselves, they use everything they have learned at different stages of acquisition, by following the rules they have discovered in language.
As children learn more words, they are able to identify patterns and certain regularities in the lexicon. They make use of these patterns and build paradigms, i.e. they use the same templates to connect words which are related in form and meaning. By creating forms for specific meanings, they coin words which fit into an already existing paradigm. Paradigms reflect a certain regularity within language, and at the same time, reveal children’s need to organize and compress the huge amount of words that they encounter.
Despite children’s skillfulness in learning language and their ability to analyze the structure of language and its regularities, despite their mastery in creating innovative complex words that follow principles of word-formation, not all the words children produce are legitimate forms. The purpose of this paper is to identify the reasons why errors occur in children’s production of complex words.
The second part of the paper will deal with a theoretical analysis of complex words, from the internal structure of words to main types of word-formation like derivation and compounding, and finally, will focus on establishing rules of word-building that children identify in language and also use in their word production.
The following section will treat children’s use of complex words, the word-formation processes they favor, the types of words they find easier to create, as well as the principles that they follow in their word creation. This part will close with a thematization of paradigms.
The fourth part will analyze errors, and will concentrate on elucidating the purpose of this paper, namely, the question referring to the source of error production in children’s creation of complex words. As will be revealed later in the paper, many of the illegitimate forms that children create are a result of non-permissible generalizations which reflect the regulating role of paradigms.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- I. Introduction
- II. Analyzing complex words
- A. The internal structure of words
- B. Main types of word-formation
- C. Establishing word-formation rules
- III. Children's creation of complex words
- A. Comprehension vs. production
- B. Word-learning strategies
- C. Children's use of word-formation processes
- 1. Acquiring structure principles and compositionality
- 2. Using derivation and compounding
- D. Setting up paradigms
- IV. Analysis of errors
- A. Conventionality and contrast
- B. Generating errors: why children create illegitimate forms
- V. Conclusions
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to investigate the reasons behind errors in children's production of complex words. It explores the interplay between children's understanding of language structure, their word-learning strategies, and the inherent complexities of the English language itself.
- The internal structure of words and morphemes
- Word-formation processes (derivation and compounding)
- Children's strategies for creating complex words
- The role of paradigms in word formation
- Analysis of errors in children's word creation
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
I. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the paper by outlining the central research question: why do children make errors when creating complex words? It highlights the paradox of children's simultaneous skill in comprehending and producing language, emphasizing their capacity to identify patterns and build paradigms while also making errors. The introduction foreshadows the subsequent sections, which will analyze complex words, children's word creation processes, and the sources of their errors.
II. Analyzing complex words: This chapter provides a theoretical framework for understanding complex words. It delves into the internal structure of words, explaining the concepts of morphemes (free and bound), roots, affixes (prefixes and suffixes), and bases. It discusses the main word-formation processes of derivation and compounding, distinguishing between open and closed word classes. The chapter uses examples to illustrate the hierarchical nature of word structure, often represented through labeled brackets or tree diagrams, emphasizing how these structures can be used to generate new lexical items.
III. Children's creation of complex words: This chapter focuses on how children create complex words. It explores the distinction between comprehension and production, examining children's word-learning strategies and their use of word-formation processes, including derivation and compounding. A significant part of this chapter is dedicated to the concept of paradigms, explaining how children use these templates to connect words based on form and meaning, highlighting the regularity and organizational function of paradigms in children's vocabulary development.
IV. Analysis of errors: This chapter addresses the core research question, analyzing the reasons behind errors in children's word creation. It examines how illegitimate word forms often arise from overgeneralizations reflecting the influence of paradigms. The chapter also hints at the role of developmental stages and inconsistencies within the English language itself in contributing to these errors. The overall argument suggests that these errors are not simply random mistakes, but rather reflect the complex interplay between cognitive development, linguistic knowledge, and the structures of the language itself.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Morphemes, word formation, derivation, compounding, paradigms, child language acquisition, errors, linguistic development, English morphology, cognitive processes.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview
What is the main topic of this paper?
The paper investigates the reasons behind errors children make when creating complex words. It explores the connection between children's understanding of language structure, their word-learning strategies, and the inherent complexities of the English language.
What are the key themes explored in the paper?
Key themes include the internal structure of words and morphemes, word-formation processes (derivation and compounding), children's strategies for creating complex words, the role of paradigms in word formation, and an analysis of errors in children's word creation.
What is covered in the chapter "Analyzing complex words"?
This chapter provides a theoretical framework for understanding complex words. It explains morphemes (free and bound), roots, affixes, and bases. It discusses derivation and compounding, and illustrates the hierarchical nature of word structure.
What does the chapter on "Children's creation of complex words" discuss?
This chapter focuses on how children create complex words, exploring the difference between comprehension and production, and examining children's word-learning strategies and use of word-formation processes. It emphasizes the concept of paradigms and their role in children's vocabulary development.
How does the paper analyze errors in children's word creation?
The chapter on error analysis examines why children create illegitimate word forms, often due to overgeneralizations from paradigms. It considers the influence of developmental stages and inconsistencies within the English language.
What are the main word-formation processes discussed?
The paper primarily focuses on derivation and compounding as the main word-formation processes.
What is the role of paradigms in children's word formation?
Paradigms are presented as templates children use to connect words based on form and meaning. They highlight the regularity and organizational function of paradigms in children's vocabulary development and contribute to both correct and incorrect word formations.
What are the key takeaways from the introduction?
The introduction sets the stage by highlighting the central research question: why do children make errors when creating complex words? It emphasizes the paradox of children's language abilities, showcasing their capacity for pattern recognition alongside error production.
What are the key conclusions of the paper?
While not explicitly detailed in the provided summaries, the conclusions would likely synthesize the findings from the analysis of complex words, children's word creation strategies, and the reasons behind their errors, offering a comprehensive understanding of children's morphological development.
What are the keywords associated with this paper?
Keywords include morphemes, word formation, derivation, compounding, paradigms, child language acquisition, errors, linguistic development, English morphology, and cognitive processes.
- Quote paper
- Gabriela Bara (Author), 2007, From Word-Formation Rules to Creating Paradigms, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/144322
