On the acquisition of prepositions
Date Issued
2007
Abstract
This work studies the acquisition of Greek Prepositional Phrases. We focus
on locative prepositions, because they may combine a lexical and a functional element,
hence, can offer insights for both the acquisition and the syntactic status of prepositions
from this perspective. We found that both, se and apo, appear after the lexical part of
complex prepositions, and fully develop after age three. We compare se and apo when
part of complex prepositions and when conveying location/direction alone and conclude
that the former may be acquired after the latter. Apo is also encountered much earlier
alone, but only preceding locative adverbials
on locative prepositions, because they may combine a lexical and a functional element,
hence, can offer insights for both the acquisition and the syntactic status of prepositions
from this perspective. We found that both, se and apo, appear after the lexical part of
complex prepositions, and fully develop after age three. We compare se and apo when
part of complex prepositions and when conveying location/direction alone and conclude
that the former may be acquired after the latter. Apo is also encountered much earlier
alone, but only preceding locative adverbials