Tomasello-Usage Based-Approach

Question 1

What is Tomasello’s theory on?

Answer 1

Construction Grammar- A theory stating grammar is a collection of syntactic patterns

Question 2

What does Tomasello believe?

Answer 2

Children learn complex patterns once they have developed intention reading- have learnt to understand meaning behind what adults and more advanced speakers say

Question 3

What is an example of the usage-based approach?

Answer 3

A child may understand the construction ‘I laugh’, after repeated use, the child will realise other words can be slotted in e.g. ‘You laugh’, ‘She laughs’ etc. After a while the pattern will become ingrained in the child’s brain