Causative Alternations of Children With Specific Language Impairment

diane{at}dole.lsi.ukans.edu

Alternating verbs to indicate or to relinquish cause requires an understanding of semantic and syntactic knowledge. This study evaluated the ability of children with specific language impairment (SLI) to produce the causative alternation in comparison to age peers and to language peers. The children with SLI were proficient in lexically alternating verbs, yet provided fewer passive and periphrastic constructions and more different verbs and adjectival responses. Overgeneralization error data suggest that the semantic systems of some children with SLI were similar to their age comparisons. Individual differences within the SLI group suggested that some children were adept at providing syntactic responses and overgeneralizations, whereas some of the SLI group provided less mature responses of no alternations and no responses. These findings demonstrate a syntactic deficit in the causative alternation for some children with SLI.

KEY WORDS: causative alternation, verb acquisition, verb argument structure, specific language impairment

Submitted on March 17, 1997
Accepted on December 20, 1997

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				A. J. Owen and L. B. Leonard The production of finite and nonfinite complement clauses by children with specific language impairment and their typically developing peers. J Speech Lang Hear Res, June 1, 2006; 49(3): 548 - 571. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]