Diversity within complex syntax: Complex syntax tokens of children with Developmental Language Disorder

Abstract

Constructivist accounts of children’s acquisition of complex syntax make a distinction between children’s initial complex syntax tokens and later-produced complex syntax tokens. Children’s initial complex syntax tokens are concrete expressions or lexically-specific constructions (e.g., Remember, I like chocolate). Later-produced complex syntax tokens are built from constructional schemas that contain abstract syntactic categories. The purpose of this study was to explore whether 5-year-old children with developmental language disorder (DLD) produce a lower percentage of later-produced complex syntax tokens as compared to same-age peers with typical language development (TD). Using language sample analysis, we categorized the complex syntax productions of 28 preschool children (DLD n = 14) as early-produced or later-produced complex syntax tokens. Coded complex syntax productions included complement clauses, relative clauses, and subordinate conjunction clauses. We compared the percentage of later-produced complex syntax tokens by language group. Children with DLD produced a lower percentage of later-produced complement clause and subordinate conjunction clause tokens in child–adult conversation than TD children. However, there was no language group difference in children’s production of later-produced relative clauses. Further consideration of the balance between early-produced and later-produced complex syntax tokens for children with DLD as compared to same-age TD peers is warranted. The reliance on early-produced tokens for preschool children with DLD as compared to their TD peers may mean that children with DLD are limited in their use of complex syntax.