Romāni child-directed speech and children's language among Gypsies in Hungary

Abstract

ABSTRACTAdult–child interaction and linguistic input in relation to oral culture were investigated in 13 traditional settlements of Romāni-speaking Gypsies in Hungary. Many of the typical modifications found in the childdirected speech (CDS) register of other languages are also found in the speech addressed to children acquiring Romāni. In addition, CDS in these communities is deeply influenced by living traditions and properties of the Gypsies' oral culture. Phenomena of input language closely related to these features are, for example, a specific way of modeling dialogue to infants, the extended use of test questions, and the use of folk genres specially modified for babies and children. Early introduction of children into these ways of speaking reflects their importance for Gypsy culture and Gypsy identity. Children's games reflecting the highly creative uses of the same features of traditional oral culture are also presented. (Gypsies, Romani, child-directed speech, language acquisition, socialization, pragmatics)