ERIC Number: EJ1477670
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1092-4388
EISSN: EISSN-1558-9102
Available Date: 0000-00-00
The Acquisition of Aspect Markers by Mandarin-Speaking Children with Developmental Language Disorder
Xiaoyan Zeng; Qingwen Liu; Mengyu Gao; Rumi Wang; Yasuhiro Shirai
Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, v68 n7 p3183-3203 2025
Purpose: This study investigates the acquisition of aspect markers by Mandarin-speaking children with developmental language disorder (DLD) in comparison to typically developing aged-matched (TDA) children and typically developing younger (TDY) children through the aspect hypothesis (AH). Method: A sentence-picture matching task and a priming picture description task were used to examine and compare the comprehension and production of aspect markers by Mandarin-speaking children with DLD and typically developing children. Participants consisted of 13 children in each of the DLD, TDA, and TDY groups. Results: A similar pattern was found for DLD and TDY groups. However, compared to the TDA group, children with DLD demonstrated lower accuracy and slower reaction times regarding aspect markers "-guo, -le," and "zai-." Children with DLD also produced fewer target aspect markers "-le, zai-," and "-zhe." The overall production of "zai-" and "-zhe" was less than both TDA and TDY groups, and children with DLD omitted the use of aspect markers more often. The influence of lexical aspect was found in the TDA children's understanding of the perfective aspect marker "-le," which is consistent with the predictions of the AH. Conclusion: Results indicate that children with DLD had problems with the acquisition of aspect markers but that their language development was delayed rather than deviant.
Descriptors: Mandarin Chinese, Developmental Disabilities, Language Impairments, Form Classes (Languages), Grammar, Language Acquisition, Child Language, Language Patterns, Semantics, Comprehension, Preschool Children
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A