Adult and child production of Quechua relative clauses

Ellen H. Courtney, University of Texas at El Paso

Article comments

The definitive version of this article was published in First Language (26, 3), August 2006, http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0142723706062677

Abstract

This study investigates the production of Quechua relative clauses by Peruvian adults and children, aged 2;8-4;7. Quechua relative clauses may be internally-headed, externally-headed, or headless. Previous studies (e.g., O’Grady, 2003), suggested two outcomes: children will have less difficulty producing subject-gap relative clauses than other types; and, compared to adults, children will produce more headed relatives, especially internally-headed relative clauses. A procedure was used to elicit production of two relative clauses for each of four types: subject-gap, direct object-gap, non-direct object-gap, possessor-gap. Participants produced all types with equal ease, although children produced more errors; children produced comparatively more headless relatives, and their headed relative clauses were overwhelmingly externally-headed. This outcome is attributed to children’s learning [modifier+noun] constructions resembling headless and externally-headed relative clauses.