CLA: Examples

Question 1

Lexis

Answer 1

• What are children’s most common early words?
• What trends are there in children’s vocabulary development?

Question 2

Semantics

Answer 2

Errors in meaning
* What errors do children often make with word meaning?
* Do children understand more about what words mean than they can produce in their own language?

Question 3

Phonology

Answer 3

• What sounds come first for most children?
• What kinds of errors do children make in sound production?
• intonation e.g. lack of question word / cds

Question 4

Syntax

Answer 4

Stages and word combinations
* What stages do children go through?
* What kinds of words do children combine?
* e.g. telegraphic, two-word

Question 5

Morphology

Answer 5

• What word endings do children use and why are they significant?
• Which common morphology errors have you studied?
• e.g. afixes ‘un’
• derivational morphology ‘de’
• word endings - tenses

Question 6

Pragmatics

Answer 6

• How do areas such as politeness and inference develop as children get older?
• How do children behave in conversations with others as they develop?
• e.g. turn taking

Question 7

G: Only mans[1] do dat[2]?
D: What did you say?
G: Only daddies do dat[2]?

Dad (D) drawing curtains at bedtime with daughter (G)

Answer 7

1. Overgeneralisation of plural suffix
2. Substitution

Question 8

D: Why you washing dem[1]?
G: Someone did a wee in the bed
D: I not did that[2]

Dad and daughter talking at breakfast

Answer 8

• 1. Telegraphic stage/ellipsis of auxiliary verb.
• 1. Substitution.
• 2. Incomplete formation of past tense negative.

Question 9

D: I’ve got an orange here or an apple. Do you
want an orange?
G: I want another one apple[1]
D: Ok
G: What you doing[2]?
D: This? I’m peeling this potato
G: Peeling tato[3]?

Dad and daughter talking at lunchtime

Answer 9

• 1. Misapplication of determiner/pronoun.
• 2. Telegraphic stage/ellipsis of auxiliary verb.
• 3. Deletion of unstressed syllable.
• 3. Ellipsis of auxiliary verb? Incomplete utterance using intonation to signal question.

Question 10

D: How was nursery today?
G: Molly did hit me[1] at nursery. Julie told off her[2].

Dad and daughter talking about day at nursery and childminder

Answer 10

1. Incomplete formation of past tense (unnecessary
   use of auxiliary verb – did)
2. Insecure use of phrasal verb (adult version would
   be “told her off”.