Abstract
AbstractConstructions marking information structure in French have been widely documented within the constructionist framework.C’est‘it is’ clefts have been demonstrated to express the focus of the sentence. Nevertheless, it remains unclear how children are able to acquire clefts, and how they develop information structure categories. The aim of this study is to investigate the acquisition of clefts in French through the usage-based framework, to understand (i) whether IS categories emerge gradually like other linguistic categories, and (ii) how children build IS categories. For this, I analysed 256c’est-clefts produced by three children between age 2 and 3. I show that most early clefts are produced by children with the chunkc’est moiassociated with the concrete function of requesting to perform an action themselves. This chunk then becomes a frame with slot, extending the function to other human referents and discourse participants with the function of requesting adults to perform an action. Another large portion of early clefts seems to belong to a frame with slotc’est Xwhose function is to identify the agent who carried out an action. These findings suggest that the information structure category of focus emerges gradually.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
