Die Rolle der Elternsprache im frühen Spracherwerb

Zusammenfassung

Die meisten Kinder erwerben Sprache vor allem durch die Kommunikation mit ihren Eltern. Die Sprache, die Mütter und Väter dabei an das kleine Kind richten, unterscheidet sich von der, die Erwachsene untereinander verwenden. Diese an das Kind gerichtete Sprache (KGS) hat typische Merkmale in Bezug auf Prosodie (z. B. etwas langsamere und deutlichere Aussprache, sehr melodische Intonation), Komplexität (z. B. weniger Nebensätze und Vergangenheitsformen, viele Fragen und Aufforderungen) und Redundanz (wörtliche oder inhaltliche Wiederholungen). Aufgrund dieser Eigenschaften ist die KGS einfacher als die Sprache, die wir an Erwachsene richten. Merkmale der KGS findet man in vielen Sprachen und Kulturen, aber nicht in allen. KGS entsteht aus dem Wunsch heraus, vom Kind verstanden zu werden und ihm seine Zuneigung auszudrücken.

Man hat den Einfluss dieser Sprache auf den Spracherwerb untersucht. Zwischen bestimmten Merkmalen des Sprachinputs und Bereichen der kindlichen Sprachentwicklung wurden Zusammenhänge festgestellt. Erweiterungen (d. h. die indirekte Verbesserung einer unkorrekten kindlichen Äußerung), Fragen und die Bezugnahme auf das Thema des Kindes scheinen für den Spracherwerb förderlich zu sein, eine direktive Sprache wirkt sich dagegen eher ungünstig aus. Einige Merkmale, z. B. Erweiterungen und Ja/Nein-Fragen, begünstigen offenbar vor allem den Erwerb bestimmter grammatischer Formen, andere, z. B. Informationsfragen, haben eher eine dialogfördernde Wirkung. Die Untersuchungsergebnisse in Bezug auf die Effekte der KGS sind zum Teil uneinheitlich. Auch gibt es manchmal unterschiedliche Annahmen darüber, warum ein Merkmal des Sprachinputs eine bestimmte Wirkung hat.

Abstract

Most children acquire language through communication with their parents. The speech parents use in dialogue with their children differs from speech among adults. Child-directed speech (CDS) has typical features: Features concerning complexity contain for example short, less complex sentences, less past tenses, no indirect speech, more imperatives and questions. Examples for prosodic features are a more exaggerated intonation, higher pitch, slower and clear speech; redundancy is reflected in the incidence of part or whole repetitions. Due to these features speech addressed to children is simpler than speech directed to adults. CDS was observed in many languages, but it is not used in some cultures. CDS is motivated by the desire to be understood and to express affection.

The relationship between CDS and language acquisition has been investigated in a number of studies. Results show effects of some components of CDS on specific areas of language development. Expansions (i. e. the indirect correction of an ungrammatical child utterance), questions and the reference to the child’s topic seem to facilitate language acquisition, whereas directive speech shows negative effects. Some features of CDS, e. g. expansions and Yes/No-questions, seem to be most beneficial to grammatical structures, others, as „real” questions, help to carry on the parent-child dialogue and elicit more speech from the child. Relationships between maternal speech characteristics and the development of language structures were found especially for those structures which were likely to be in the process of acquiring. However, results on the effects of CDS on language development are partly inconclusive. Also, some relationships can be explained in different ways. This indicates that relationships between CDS and language acquisition are rather complex.

Schlüsselwörter

Inputsprache - Spracherwerb - Grammatikerwerb

Key words

Child-directed speech - language acquisition - acquisition of grammar

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