The null-subject parameter at the interface between syntax and pragmatics: Evidence from bilingual German–Italian, German–French and Italian–French children

Schmitz, Katrin; Patuto, Marisa; Müller, Natascha

doi:10.1177/0142723711403880

Cited by 31 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 31 publications

(68 reference statements)

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“…Similar data have been found for German-Italian simultaneous bilinguals (Schmitz 2007;Patuto 2008;Schmitz, Patuto & Müller 2012).…”

supporting

confidence: 82%

Tracking reference with null subjects

Pinto

2013

AVT

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Null-subject languages are said to track reference and discourse-pragmatic information exploiting the array of specialized forms provided by their grammar. This argument is normally used as the baseline against which language acquisition and contact varieties (L1, 2L1, L2, L1-attrition) are evaluated. However, recent studies on Italian question the empirical validity of this pattern and call for an analysis of these issues from an empirical perspective. This paper presents the results of a study on mechanisms for introduction and tracking of reference in narratives (Frog Stories) in Italian L1/Dutch L2, Dutch L1/Italian L2, Italian/Dutch bilinguals and age-matched monolingual Italian controls. All utterances were scrutinized for form, antecedent, and discourse-pragmatic function. The results so far show an overextended use of null subjects, also in contexts of topic-shift, where overt subjects would be expected. These constructions are not ambiguous, as speakers make use of alternative devices for anaphora interpretation that exploit contextual cues.

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“…Similar data have been found for German-Italian simultaneous bilinguals (Schmitz 2007;Patuto 2008;Schmitz, Patuto & Müller 2012).…”

supporting

confidence: 82%

Tracking reference with null subjects

Pinto

2013

AVT

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“…The main theoretical contributions have investigated the structural (language-internal) conditions that render transfer possible. Following Hulk and Müller (2000) and Müller and Hulk (2001), if Language A has two morpho-syntactic exponents of a linguistic category and Language B allows for only one of these two options, transfer from B to A might (but does not need to) occur (see Schmitz et al 2012 for a reformulation of There is a tradition of studies investigating the acquisition of reference among monolinguals and bilinguals (see Serratrice and Allen 2015 for a general overview). Here, we focus on those dealing with the acquisition of null-subject and clitic languages.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Teasing Apart the Effects of Dominance, Transfer, and Processing in Reference Production by German–Italian Bilingual Adolescents

Torregrossa

Bongartz

2018

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This paper intends to test different accounts of bilingual reference production against the production of referring expressions in Italian by German-Italian bilingual adolescents. In particular, we investigate to what extent bilingual referring expressions involve transfer from one language to the other, result from processing and dominance variables, and are the outcome of a process of language change. We will show that each of these hypotheses makes a precise prediction about which referential strategy bilinguals should adopt. The production of referring expressions is examined in the context of a story-telling task. Based on the analysis of overspecified forms, clitic omissions, and agreement mismatches, as well as on correlations with dominance factors, we argue in favor of the relevance of dominance and processing factors for bilingual reference production. Finally, we verify the possibility of generalizing our conclusions to a different linguistic domain, concerning the expression of word order in main clauses.

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“…So neigen bilinguale italienische Kinder u.a. zur Subjektauslassung im Deutschen, vielleicht analog zu ihrer Muttersprache (Schmitz, Patuto, & Müller, 2012;cf. Rothweiler & Ruberg, 2011), aber dasselbe Fehlermuster ist auch für jüngere monolinguale Deutsche charakteristisch (Clahsen, 1982).…”

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Ob Italienisch Deutsch fördert

Zaretsky

Lange

2015

DuJAL

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In this study, some extralinguistic factors were examined which might influence the language acquisition process in Italian and other immigrant preschool children acquiring German as their second or third language. The following methods of the language assessment were utilized: (a) a modified, validated version of language test Marburger Sprachscreening and (b) a classification of children as needing or not needing additional educational support in learning German. Italians scored significantly higher on vocabulary and grammar than other immigrant children. This can be attributed to the fact that Italians attended German nursery schools and played with German children after the daycare center time significantly more often than other immigrants. Immigrant groups with the most advanced German skills were English speaking children and Greeks. Linguistically weakest groups were Turks and Arabs. For these groups, dependence of the language acquisition process on extralinguistic factors was also shown.

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The null-subject parameter at the interface between syntax and pragmatics: Evidence from bilingual German–Italian, German–French and Italian–French children

Cited by 31 publications

References 31 publications

Tracking reference with null subjects

Tracking reference with null subjects

Teasing Apart the Effects of Dominance, Transfer, and Processing in Reference Production by German–Italian Bilingual Adolescents

Ob Italienisch Deutsch fördert

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