The Sequential Unfolding of First Phase Syntax: Tutorial and Applications to Development

Abstract

Purpose This tutorial is an introduction to first phase syntax (FPS; Ramchand, 2008 ). FPS provides a new, cross-linguistically motivated perspective on clause internal structure. A new sequence of syntactic development is proposed based on FPS with 4 levels of complexity: (0) verb particles and adjectives in the 1-word stage, (1) semantic relations of entity + location/attribution, (2) intransitive structures encoding change of location/state, and (3) transitive sentences with an internal argument that changes state/location and an external, causer argument. A novel prediction of this framework is that a Level 2 structure emerges earlier than a Level 3 structure. Method Archival longitudinal data of 15 children (8 boys) were selected to test the proposed developmental sequence. The 15 children's data were drawn from the DeKalb corpora ( Rispoli, Hadley, & Holt, 2008 , 2009 ) and Champaign corpora ( Hadley, Rispoli, Holt, Fitzgerald, & Bahnsen, 2014 ), selected because their mean lengths of utterance did not exceed 2.54 at age 2;6 (years;months). One-hour language samples taken every 3 months from 1;9 to 2;6 were searched for Level 1-3 structures. The diversity of the internal argument was tracked across levels. Results Average argument diversity shifted across levels over the period of 1;9-2;6. At 2;0, argument diversity was highest for Level 1; at 2;3, diversity was highest for Level 2; and at 2;6, it was highest for Level 3. Paired-samples t test revealed that, at 2;3, argument diversity in Level 2 was significantly higher than that in Level 3. Conclusion This developmental application of FPS provides a theoretical framework for a developmentally ordered sequence of syntactic goals and treatment targets for children struggling with the acquisition of syntax.

Figure 1.

First phase syntax derivation of the piece slid in.

Figure 2.

First phase syntax derivation of the workman slid the piece in.

Figure 3.

A simple state predicate.

Figure 4.

First phase syntax derivation of the workman slid in the piece.

Figure 5.

Derivation of I want juice.

Figure 6.

First phase syntax derivation of the Spanish se unaccusative.

Figure 7.

First phase syntax derivation of the Mandarin ba phrase.

Figure 8.

First phase syntax representation of entity location.

Figure 9.

First phase syntax representation of entity attribute.

Figure 10.

Argument diversity across first phase syntax levels and age. lvl = level.