The use of verb subcategorization frames in complex sentences by children with specific language impairment

Preschool children with specific language impairment (SLI) have marked difficulties with verb-related morphology and other aspects of verb acquisition. However, very little is known about aspects of language used by these children beyond the preschool years. This study explored whether children with SLI are as proficient as typically developing age- and vocabulary-matched children in their use of finite and nonfinite subcategorization frames in complex sentences. In Experiment 1, simple finite and nonfinite complement clauses were elicited from the children for four verbs (remember, know, decide, forget) through puppet show enactments. In Experiment 2, finite and nonfinite complement clauses were elicited for three verbs ( advise, tell, remind). In general, the children were more likely to produce a finite complement clause than a nonfinite complement clause, although verb-specific effects were found. These results may be attributable to the children\u27s familiarity with the verb type and subcategorization frame combinations being tested. The children were more accurate with nonfinite complements than finite complements. Although the finite complements were longer than the nonfinite complements, these results could not be entirely attributed to utterance length restrictions. Children with SLI were less proficient than both groups of typically developing children in their production of complement clauses and were more likely to omit a variety of elements, including finiteness markers, the nonfinite particle to, arguments in finite subordinate clauses, and the optional complementizer that. Once again, utterance length restrictions were ruled out as a factor in the group differences. Current theories of SLI will need to be extended or altered in order to account for these results