Chapter published in:
Acquiring Sociolinguistic Variation
Edited by Gunther De Vogelaer and Matthias Katerbow
[Studies in Language Variation 20] 2017
► pp. 235–265

Chapter 9
Language acquisition in bilectal environments

Competing motivations, metalinguistic awareness, and the Socio-Syntax of Development Hypothesis

| University of Cyprus, Cyprus Acquisition Team
| Cyprus Acquisition Team, University of Cyprus
The linguistic reality of Cyprus is diglossic between the local variety of Cypriot Greek and the official language Standard Modern Greek. One of the better studied differences between the two varieties is clitic placement in syntactic environments where one requires enclisis and the other proclisis. This paper discusses the findings of two studies on the acquisition of object clitics so as to (i) explore the connection between bidialectalism and metalinguistic awareness and (ii) argue that competing motivations are relevant for the linguistic development in diglossic environments. Framed as the Socio-Syntax of Development Hypothesis, the process of constructing a socio-syntactic repertoire captures competing motivations by assuming that the linguistic development of Greek Cypriot children primarily involves the need to resolve linguistic accommodation and adjust to the “high” variety.
Keywords: acquisition, bi-x , comparative bilingualism, diglossia, metalinguistic awareness, socio-syntax
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Language acquisition in bi-X
    • 2.1CG and dialect design
    • 2.2The linguistic situation in Cyprus
    • 2.3A preview
  • 3.The acquisition of direct object clitic placement in CG
    • 3.1Study 1
      • 3.1.1Participants
      • 3.1.2Methodology
      • 3.1.3Results
    • 3.2Study 2
      • 3.2.1Participants
      • 3.2.2Methodology
      • 3.2.3Results
    • 3.3Discussion: Study 1 and Study 2
  • 4.Discussion: The larger picture
    • 4.1The two-fold nature of competition in bilectalism
    • 4.2Competing motivations in language acquisition
    • 4.3Competing motivations in Cyprus
    • 4.4Enter: Metalinguistic awareness
  • 5.Outlook: A view from the Socio-Syntax of Development Hypothesis
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
Published online: 30 September 2017
https://doi.org/10.1075/silv.20.09lei
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