Article published In: Australian Applied Language Studies
Edited by Tim F. McNamara
[Australian Review of Applied Linguistics 10:2] 1987
► pp. 1–11
Anaphora in children’s Warlpiri
Published online: 1 January 1987
https://doi.org/10.1075/aral.10.2.01bav
https://doi.org/10.1075/aral.10.2.01bav
Abstract
The paper examines developmental aspects relating to how Warlpiri children introduce referents and maintain reference in narrative. Comparisons are made with the three levels of development proposed by Karmiloff-Smith, based on her work on cohesion in narrative with French- and English-speaking children. Examples are presented from children’s narratives to illustrate that Warlpiri children under six generally use ellipsis of core arguments without introducing the participants, while older children use ellipsis anaphorically, that is only after introducing the participants. The strategies for marking inter-sentence relations develop over a few years. Once the child is able to organize a narrative around a theme, there can be more flexibility in structuring the narrative.
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