Cover not available
Part of
Processability and Language Acquisition in the Asia-Pacific Region
Edited by Satomi Kawaguchi, Bruno Di Biase and Yumiko Yamaguchi
[Processability Approaches to Language Acquisition Research & Teaching 9] 2023
► pp. 192–227

Chapter 8
Development of Japanese and English polar questions in bilingual first language acquisition

| Australian National University
| Western Sydney University
This chapter examines the development of polar questions, in English and Japanese in a bilingual child acquiring these two typologically different languages from birth in a one-parent-one-language environment in Australia. The three-year longitudinal data-set was collected from the time Haru, the informant, was one year and eleven months of age. Her polar questions began with the use of rising intonation in single or two-word utterances in both languages. Her development continued in language-specific ways resembling that of L1 development in each language, much in line with the Prominence Hypothesis. As well as supporting this Hypothesis and the universality of PT in a bilingual first language acquisition (BFLA) context the study highlights the importance of the two-word stage in child language development and proposes a Two-word stage for PT’s developmental schedule, intermediate between the lemma stage and the canonical order stage within the BFLA context.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.English and Japanese polar questions
  • 3.A review of the literature
    • 3.1First language acquisition
    • 3.2L1 developmental path of polar questions
    • 3.3English-Japanese bilingual children’s development
  • 4.The Prominence Hypothesis and the development of polar questions
  • 5.Methodology
    • 5.1Informant and data collection
    • 5.2Haru’s general linguistic milestones
    • 5.3Data analysis
  • 6.Results and discussion
    • 6.1English polar questions
      • 6.1.1Developmental path of English polar questions
      • 6.1.2Applying the Prominence Hypothesis to English polar questions
    • 6.2Japanese polar questions
      • 6.2.1Developmental path of Japanese polar questions
      • 6.2.2Applying the Prominence Hypothesis to Japanese polar questions
  • 7.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 2 February 2023
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/palart.9.08ita
References (41)
References
Bettoni, C., & Di Biase, B. (2015). Processability Theory: Theoretical bases ad universal schedules. In C. Bettoni & B. Di Biase (Eds.), Grammatical development in second languages: Exploring the boundaries of Processability Theory (Eurosla Monograph Series 3) (pp. 20–84). Eurosla.Google Scholar
Bloom, L. (1991). Language development from two to three. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Braine, M. (1963). The ontogeny of English phrase structure: The first phase. Language, 39, 1–13. [URL]
Bresnan, J. (2001). Lexical-functional syntax. Blackwell.Google Scholar
Brown, R. (1973). A first language: The early stages. Harvard University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Cazden, C. B. (1970). Children’s questions: Their forms, functions and roles in education. Young Children, 25(4), 202–220Google Scholar
Chouinard, M. M., Harris, P. L., & Maratsos, M. P. (2007). Children’s questions: A mechanism for cognitive development. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 72(1), 1–129. [URL]
Clancy, P. M. (1985). The acquisition of Japanese. In D. I. Slobin (Ed.), The crosslinguistic study of language acquisition, Vol. 1: Data (pp. 373–524). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar
Dalrymple, M. (2001). Syntax and semantics: Lexical functional grammar. Academic Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
De Houwer, A. (1990). The acquisition of two languages from birth: A case study. Cambridge University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(1995). Bilingual language acquisition. In P. Fletcher & B. MacWhinney (Eds.), The handbook of child language (pp. 219–250). Blackwell.Google Scholar
de Villiers, J., & de Villiers, P. (1985). The acquisition of English. In D. I. Slobin (Ed.), The crosslinguistics study of language acquisition, Vol. 1: Data (pp. 27–139). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar
Di Biase, B., Kawaguchi, S., & Yamaguchi, Y. (2015). The development of English as a second language. In C. Bettoni & B. Di Biase (Eds.), Grammatical development in second languages: Exploring the boundaries of Processability Theory (Eurosla Monograph Series 3) (pp. 85–116). Eurosla.Google Scholar
Döpke, S. (1992). One parent – one language: An interactional approach. John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Dryer, M. S. (2013a). Polar questions. In M. S. Dryer & M. Haspelmath (Eds.), The world atlas of language structures online. Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. Retrieved on 10 July 2022 from [URL]
(2013b). Position of polar question particles. In M. S. Dryer & M. Haspelmath (Eds.), The world atlas of language structures online. Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. Retrieved on 10 July 2022 from [URL]
Itani-Adams, Y. (2009). Development of discourse functions in Japanese and English bilingual first language acquisition. In J. U. Keβler & D. Keatinge (Eds.), Research in second language acquisition: Empirical evidence across languages (pp. 41–66). Cambridge Scholars.Google Scholar
(2011). Bilingual first language acquisition. In M. Pienemann & J. U. Keβler (Eds.), Studying Processability Theory (pp. 121–130). John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2013). One child and two languages: Acquisition of Japanese and English as bilingual first languages. Lincom.Google Scholar
Itani-Adams, Y., & Di Biase, B. (2016, September 7–8). Development of yes/no questions in English-Japanese bilingual acquisition. Presented at The 16th International Symposium of Processability Approaches to Language Acquisition (PALA), Chuo University, Tokyo.
Ito, K. (1990). Kodomo no kotoba: Shuutoku to soozoo [Children’s language: Acquisition and creation]. Keisoo shobo.Google Scholar
Kawaguchi, S. (2019). Acquiring yes/no questions in Japanese as a second language: A cross-sectional study. The International Journal of Communication and Linguistic Studies, 17(2), 13–34. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Klima, E., & Bellugi, U. (1966). Syntactic regularities in the speech of children. In J. Lyons & R. J. Wales (Eds.), Psycholinguistic papers (pp. 183–208). Edinburgh University Press.Google Scholar
Larsen-Freeman, D., & Long, M. H. (1991). An introduction to second language acquisition research. Longman.Google Scholar
Levelt, W. J. M. (1989). Speaking. The MIT Press.Google Scholar
Lightbown, P., & Spada, N. (2006). How languages are learned. Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Marchman, V. A., & Bates, E. (1994). Continuity in lexical and morphological development: A test of the critical mass hypothesis. Journal of Child Language, 21, 339–366. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Meisel, J. (2001). The simultaneous acquisition of two first languages. Early differentiation and subsequent development of grammars. In J. Cenoz & F. Genesee (Eds.), Trends in bilingual acquisition (pp. 11–41). John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Miller, W., & Ervin, S. (1964). The development of grammar in child language. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 29(1), 9–34. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Mishina-Mori, S. (2005). Autonomous and interdependent development of two language systems in Japanese/English simultaneous bilinguals: Evidence from question formation. First Language, 25, 291–315. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Mohamed Salleh, R. T. A., Kawaguchi, S., Jones, C., & Di Biase, B. (2016). The development of plural expressions in a Malay-English bilingual child. Asiatic, 10(2), 60–81.Google Scholar
Mycock, L. (2007). Constituent question formation and focus: A new typological perspective. Philological Society, 105(2), 192–251. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Pallotti, G. (2007). An operational definition of the emergence criterion. Applied Linguistics, 28, 361–382. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Paradis, J., & Genesee, F. (1996). Syntactic acquisition in bilingual children. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 18, 1–25. [URL]. DOI logo
(Ed.). (2005). Cross-linguistic aspects of Processability Theory. John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Pienemann, M., Di Biase, B., & Kawaguchi, S. (2005). Extending Processability Theory. In M. Pienemann (Ed.), Cross-linguistic aspects of Processability Theory (pp. 199–253). John Benjamins. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Pienemann, M., Keβler, J. U., & Itani-Adams, Y. (2011). Comparing levels of processability across languages. International Journal of Bilingualism, 15(2), 128–146. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Ronfard, S., Zambrana, I. M., Hermansen, T. K., & Kelemen, D. (2018). Questions-asking in childhood: A review of the literature and a framework for understanding its development. Developmental Review, 49, 101–120. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Shibatani, M. (1990). The languages of Japan. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Yoshikawa, T. (1989). Nihongo bunpoo nyuumon. ALC Press.Google Scholar