Uninflected structure in familial language impairment: Evidence from French

Author(s): Royle, P.

Journal/Book: Folia Phoniatr Logopaed. 1999; 51: Allschwilerstrasse 10, CH-4009 Basel, Switzerland. Karger. 70-90.

Abstract: We present the results of 20 French subjects with familial language impairment (FLI) on a linguistic battery task, with an emphasis on verb production. The results show strong qualitative differences between the verb production of FLI subjects and that of controls. Language-specific factors do not seem to determine the production of verbs in French FLI individuals. Rather, verb frequency and the inflectional status (uninflected vs, inflected) of the form seem to be determining factors in correct/incorrect production of a verb in a sentence context. The phonetic structure of French inflection provides additional arguments against the hypothesis of a processing deficit in FLI subjects. French tense morphemes are stressed and salient, and should therefore be produced without problems, according to the processing hypothesis. We found evidence contrary to this postulate. We therefore submit that the morphological deficit hypothesis is supported by the French data. The authors are cited in alphabetical order and have contributed equally to this paper.

Note: Article Rose Y, McGill Univ, Dept Linguist, 1001 Sherbrooke St W, Montreal, PQ H3A 1G5, CANADA

Keyword(s): language impairment; French; verbal inflection; morphological deficit; verb frequency; DEVELOPMENTAL DYSPHASIA; CHILDREN; DEFICITS; ACQUISITION; INFLECTION; DISORDER

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