The Binding Theory Module

Evidence from First Language Acquisition for Principle C

Bibliographic Data

ID2903028
AuthorsBarbara Lust (0000-0002-7923-7937), Julie Eisele, Julie A Eisele, Reiko Mazuka (0000-0001-7862-7768)
Year1992
Volume68
Issue2
Pages333
Publication date1992-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueLanguage (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0097-8507 • E-ISSN: 1535-0665
PublisherJSTOR (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.2307/416944
OpenAlexW2320039093
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited12

This paper offers a critical review of a series of experimental studies of first-language acquisition of anaphora. These studies provide converging evidence that children acquiring English respect Principle C of the Binding Theory—specifically, a form of Principle C in which an r-expression is pronoun free. Principle C is respected continuously across overt syntax development (from 3 to 7 years). Although knowledge of Principle C interacts significantly with both directionality and pragmatic context, it is independent of these. Initial results on acquisition of anaphora in Japanese are also reported, suggesting that, subject to further research, early knowledge of Principle C may prove to be universal

Cognitive science · Linguistics · Programming language · Categorization, perception, and language · Computer Science · Language, Metaphor, and Cognition · Philosophy · Psychology · Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation