Spanish and Portuguese ETDs
Publication Date
Spring 5-11-2024
Abstract
This dissertation investigates a widely observed phenomenon in child language acquisition: overregularization, which occurs when a child applies a regular linguistic pattern where an irregular form is expected (Bybee, 2015), for example, when a child overregularizes irregular 1sg Spanish sé ‘I know’ as sabo. This dissertation adds to the research on the overregularization of Spanish verbal morphology. The population of focus is Spanish-speaking children ranging from the ages of 1;10 – 12;4 with different language backgrounds (e.g., monolingual Spanish children, U.S. child heritage speakers). The studies included address the development of two Spanish morphological forms by focusing on children’s production of second person singular preterit verbs (e.g., dijiste ‘(you) said’) and irregular past participles (e.g., dicho ‘said’). How will children from different language backgrounds overregularize the structures of interest? The results will shed light on children’s acquisition of the two morphological structures, highlighting similarities or differences therein.
Degree Name
Spanish & Portuguese (PhD)
Level of Degree
Doctoral
Department Name
Spanish and Portuguese
First Committee Member (Chair)
Naomi Shin
Second Committee Member
Jill Morford
Third Committee Member
Eva Ródriguez-González
Fourth Committee Member
Karen Miller
Language
English
Keywords
Spanish language acquisition, overregularization, morphology, bilingualism, 2sg preterit forms, irregular past participles
Document Type
Dissertation
Recommended Citation
Baker Martínez, Elisabeth. "OVERREGULARIZATION OF IRREGULAR SPANISH VERBAL MORPHOLOGY: THE CASES OF 2SG PRETERIT AND IRREGULAR PAST PARTICIPLES." (2024). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/span_etds/156
Included in
First and Second Language Acquisition Commons, Latin American Languages and Societies Commons, Morphology Commons, Spanish Linguistics Commons
