Processes; Uncommonly Taught Languages; Young

A case study of the acquisition of Hausa as the first language by a child focuses on acquisition of interrogatives. The subject was a male child aged 25-60 months. Data were drawn from observation and elicitation. Three phases of acquisition were distinguished. Strategies adopted by the child appeared to reflect realities and contacts in his daily life. At 25-36 months, one- and two-word speech was acquired and used in question forms with rising intonation, accompanied by gestures and body movements. From 36-48 months, simple patterns of Hausa questions were acquired. From 48-60 months, more complex question structures were learned, and intonation and tag questions were developed. By 60 months, the child was able to formulate and use Hausa questions approximately as adults do. Data tables concerning strategies and question types and frequencies are appended. (MSE) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ti cf)