TY - JOUR
T1 - The development of interrogative forms and functions in early childhood Cantonese
AU - Li, Hui
AU - Tse, Shek Kam
AU - Wong, Jessie Ming Sin
AU - Wong, Eileen Chin Mei
AU - Leung, Shing On
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was partially supported by the GRF Fund (RGC Ref No. 747109), HKSAR.
PY - 2013/4
Y1 - 2013/4
N2 - This study investigated question acquisition in Cantonese-speaking young children with a focus on the development of interrogative forms and functions. Data from a child Cantonese corpus (492 children aged 36, 48 and 60 months) were analysed. The main results were that: (1) all the interrogative forms and functions were produced by the three age groups and no age difference was found; (2) significant gender differences in favour of females were found; and (3) a significant form-function preference was obtained, with wh- and multiple questions being primarily used to seek information, and yes/no and rising tone/echo questions being largely used to request action.
AB - This study investigated question acquisition in Cantonese-speaking young children with a focus on the development of interrogative forms and functions. Data from a child Cantonese corpus (492 children aged 36, 48 and 60 months) were analysed. The main results were that: (1) all the interrogative forms and functions were produced by the three age groups and no age difference was found; (2) significant gender differences in favour of females were found; and (3) a significant form-function preference was obtained, with wh- and multiple questions being primarily used to seek information, and yes/no and rising tone/echo questions being largely used to request action.
KW - Cantonese early childhood
KW - question acquisition
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84876126887
U2 - 10.1177/0142723713479422
DO - 10.1177/0142723713479422
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84876126887
SN - 0142-7237
VL - 33
SP - 168
EP - 181
JO - First Language
JF - First Language
IS - 2
ER -