Acquisition of Possessives

Abstract

The human capacity for language employs variable structures to denote possession. A single construct may implicate grammar on several linguistic levels: lexicon, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, phonology. Depicting possession in terms of grammatical entities entails discussions of morphemes, pronouns, genitives, the verb “have,” determiner and noun phrases, alienable/inalienable distinctions, and so on. Individual languages may express possession utilizing more than one grammatical construct, while combinations of patterns within and between languages render the concept of possession additionally intricate and multifaceted. The present entry focuses on the representation of possession in developing grammars outlining those major tenets, influences, and theoretical approaches that have traditionally driven scientific inquiry in applied linguistics. Describing and deciphering research in developing grammars implicates mental representations and production patterns across different age and learner type groups. Thus, research on the acquisition of possessives has evolved from the study of monolingual (first language) acquisition to include bilingual acquisition (child first and second language) and, more recently, adult interlanguage (second/foreign language acquisition) and atypical contexts. Developmental linguistics postulates in favor of both a diachronic and a synchronic approach to language evolution. Language(s) are thus subject to manifold dynamic processes, evidence of which can only be fully explained through the multidisciplinary lens that includes neurobiological (natural, genetic) and socio-communicational (social variables, input) considerations. Scientific inquiry on the acquisition of possessives has traditionally been framed in generative theory, assuming the naturalness and innateness of language with reference to a universal grammar. This was juxtaposed early on by the nature versus nurture debate that caused a concomitant nativist-empiricist dichotomy being reflected in both the theoretical and methodological line of language acquisition research. The ideological shift has led to more evidence-based qualitative and quantitative investigations that account for the role of input (quality and quantity of linguistic exposure), usage (quality and quantity present of linguistic practice), and the psychosocial communicative context at large. This entry on the acquisition of possessives comprises seven sections that are thematically advanced by first citing core works in the language acquisition literature at large, which is followed by sections with a more specific focus on the development possessives by different learner and age groups. Aiming at highlighting influential contributions, rather than being exhaustive, theoretical underpinnings and cross-linguistic resources are outlined in the following thematic categories: (1) Essential Readings, (2) Cross-Linguistic Resources, (3) The Role of Input Frequency, (4) Child Language Datasets, (5) First Language Acquisition of Possessives, (6) Bilingual Acquisition of Possessives, (7) Second Language Acquisition of Possessives.