Simona Kranjc
Slovnična zmožnost otrok na besedotvorni ravni
Grammatical Ability of Children on the Level of Word Formation
Slovenski sinopsis
English synopsis
English summary
Slovenski sinopsis
Ob gradivu, zbranem s snemanjem spontanega govora otrok, avtorica z analizo jezikovnih sredstev opazuje razvoj otrokove jezikovne zmožnosti na besedotvorni ravni. Razvoj jezikovne zmožnosti (torej slovnične in pragmatične ali sporazumevalne) poteka skozi besedilo, in sicer skozi besedilo, ki se prenaša po primarnem komunikacijskem kanalu, to je govoru. Ne najmanj pomemben pogoj za razvoj jezikovne zmožnosti so jezikovna sredstva. Zato svojo pozornost najprej usmeri na besedotvorno raven in opiše otrokovo besedišče s stališča njegove tvorjenosti.
English synopsis
To establish children's linguistic abilities on the level of word formation, recorded material of young children's spontaneous speech is analysed in terms of use of linguistic means. Children's linguistic ability (both grammatical and pragmatic or communicative) develops through text, more specifically through text transmitted through the primary communication channel, i.e. speech. Not the last important prerequisite for the development of linguistic ability is acquisition of linguistic means. The article therefore focuses on the level of word formation and describes children's vocabulary in terms of word formation procedures involved.
English summary
The article discusses the results of a study of vocabulary in early childhood from the point of view of its formation patterns. The most frequent non-root words in the material are modifying derivational nouns, e.g. lučka, listek or golobček (diminutives of 'light', 'leaf' and 'dove'respectively) and prefixed verbs, e.g. po-jesti, od-leteti, v-zleteti (terminative verbs 'eat up', 'fly away', take off). The frequent occurrence of diminutive nouns can be ascribed to the fact that adults often communicate with small children in an adjusted code, characterised among other features also by diminutive expressions. The child accepts words of this type into his/her speech using them even where they are not appropriate. As for prefixation, it is the most common word-formation in Slovene verbs in general. Modifying derivational words are qualified as 'terms of endearment' and are usually stylistically marked in text, but in child language they lose their marked status because they are used in the child's environment so frequently, often also unnecessarily, that he/she cannote get the necessary information as to their register value. An absolute use of diminutive words weakens their actual funciton.
In early childhood, words are mainly formed on analogy with familiar words heard in everyday conversation. The recorded material contains a diversity of affixes and word-formation types, which proves that young children do not just repeat word formation patterns they have heard but also learn these rules of word formation. Together with words, children soon acquire formation patterns. Their classification, however, does not follow traditional linguistic models, but rather a classification based on analogy. The process of word formation (including analogous formation) is subconscious, but dependent on the child's congnitive development. Sometimes the subconscious process of word formation is interrupted. On the other hand, when the child consciously searches for a model among familiar patterns of word formation, he/she frequently selects a wrong one. This results in new formations, which attest to the child's search for a correct naming, while at the same time indicating what level he/she has reached in his/her mental and linguistic development.
