Wh-acquisition: A Cross-linguistic Comparison of Persian and English

Taghizadeh, Masoomeh; Baniasad-Azad, Somayeh

doi:10.22077/ali.2023.7239.1026

Wh-acquisition: A Cross-linguistic Comparison of Persian and English

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Masoomeh Taghizadeh ¹

Somayeh Baniasad-Azad ²

¹ Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics, Department of English Language & Literature, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran.

² Assistant Professor in Applied Linguistics, Department of Foreign Languages, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman, Iran

10.22077/ali.2023.7239.1026

Abstract

This research aimed to provide insights into L1 acquisition with respect to the formation of Wh-questions by a Persian and an English child. Similarities and differences concerning the variety of patterns produced (both adult-like and non-adult-like) and the frequency and emergence order of each pattern/ Wh-word were taken into consideration. For this purpose, data from an English and a Persian child were analyzed. Based on the findings, it is argued that the Persian grammar licenses a wider range of Wh-questions patterns. Besides, unlike the prevalent in-situ state of the Wh-structure in Persian, the present study indicated it to be mostly Wh-fronted in the data production of the child at the specified developmental stages. Moreover, the English child exhibited more instances of non-adult production which can be justified by the higher complexity of the structure in English, as it demands both dislocation of the Wh-word and inversion. Implications of the study are discussed.

Keywords

Acquisition

Wh-words

Persian grammar

English grammar

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