This book deals with the development of modality from a crosslinguistic perspective and is closely related to two earlier volumes on the development of verb and nominal inflection in first language acquisition (SOLA 21 and 30) both methodologically and theoretically. Each of the fourteen contributions studies the early development of the form and function of expressions of deontic and dynamic agent-oriented modality or epistemic and evidential propositional modality in one of fourteen languages belonging to different morphological types and language families (seven Indo-European and seven non-Indo-European). The analyses are mainly based on longitudinal observations of children in their 2nd and 3rd years of life in conversational interaction with their caregivers, mostly the mothers. Main issues addressed are the development of directives and modulations of information in terms of certainty and evidentiality, also taking into account children’s developing social-pragmatic and cognitive skills. One of the main findings is that agent-oriented and propositional modality may develop in parallel depending on the typological characteristics of the language acquired. The decisive factor is whether notions of propositional modality are grammaticized and obligatorily expressed in the language. The findings are interpreted within non-nativist theoretical frameworks (Usage-based theories, Natural Morphology).

Language acquisition is a human endeavor par excellence. As children, all human beings learn to understand and speak at least one language: their mother tongue. It is a process that seems to take place without any obvious effort. Second language learning, particularly among adults, causes more difficulty. The purpose of this series is to compile a collection of high-quality monographs on language acquisition. The series serves the needs of everyone who wants to know more about the problem of language acquisition in general and/or about language acquisition in specific contexts.

An invaluable resource for students and professionals alike with an interest in child language acquisition.

Modality in Language Acquisition / Modalité et acquisition des langues

These volumes present coherent sets of papers developed along two of the thematic lines that underscored the program of the meeting of the International Association for the Study of Child Language in Istanbul in the summer of 1996. Thoroughly reviewed and updated to reflect the state of child language research and theory--particularly in the domains of discourse and interaction--they convey not only the flavor of that meeting but some of the most exciting trends in the field today. Each contribution in Volume 10,Developing Narrative and Discourse Competence, focuses on the differential effects of discourse genres, elicitation techniques, communicative contexts, literacy and schooling, and the oft-cited variables of age, language, and culture. Issues concerning the interrelations between social, cognitive, and affective capacities and processes in discourse are addressed. Each chapter raises theoretical questions regarding how and when representations are constructed to support new complexities. Presenting data from a cross-cultural and cross-linguistic perspective, this volume highlights both the particulars and the universals of the processes involved. The chapters in Volume 11, Interactional Contributions to Language Development, address issues including scaffolding of processing and learning in particular interactional sequences; linkages among interpersonal functions or relations, cognitive development, and semantic, syntactic, and pragmatic devices or forms; and models of how interactions proceed, input is selected, and learning advances across multiple rounds of interaction. Each of these volumes will be a valuable addition to the libraries of all who study the development of language.

As the population of English Language Learners (ELLs) continues to grow, there is increasing concern over the widening achievement gap between these students and their peers whose first language is English. Research shows that when preschool educators focus on ensuring that ELLs develop basic foundational skills in language and literacy, the potential for these students to succeed is optimized. It is therefore essential that educators working with these young learners make instructional decisions based on proven practices and solid research. This six-page laminated reference guide by Estee Lopez provides Pre-K teachers of ELLs with specific evidence-based strategies for promoting a strong language and literacy foundation. It focuses on the following six key elements: (1) Family engagement, (2) Oral language and literacy, (3) Cultural awareness, (4) Social & emotional growth, (5) Learning and cognitive skills, (6) Program models and strategies. Using the strategies and methods outlined in this guide, teachers will set the foundation for long-term success for young ELLs.

This book provides a broad overview of the issues relevant for the study of syntax of modals and their interaction with the verbal system. A large number of novel observations are offered from a variety of languages, including Dutch, (Modern and Middle) English, German, Lele, Macedonian, Middle Dutch and Slovene. The wealth of data, the critical evaluation of existing syntactic analyses of modality and the alternative analyses proposed make the book interesting for both for descriptively and for theoretically oriented syntacticians. Major concerns addressed are: the distinction between epistemic and root modality (where the arguments pro and contra the assumption of a corresponding difference in syntactic structure are evaluated, refined, and supplemented by arguments for syntactic distinction between necessity and possibility modals and by consideration of the influence of the modal’s complement on the interpretation), the interaction between modality and clausal phenomena (in particular negation, but also imperatives, aspect and Aktionsart), and the acquisition of modality (addressing cross-linguistic differences in the possibility for root infinitives to express modal interpretations and the late acquisition of epistemic interpretations as compared with non-epistemic interpretations).