Publication Date

1980

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Kresheck, Janet D.

Degree Name

M.A. (Master of Arts)

Legacy Department

Department of Communication Disorders

LCSH

Black English; Kindergarten; African American children--Language

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence/absence of four morphological or syntactic structures (questions, multiple negatives, third person singular present progressive auxiliary is+verb+ing constructs and third person singular present tense verlH-s constructs) by Black kindergarten children from low and middle-high socioeconomic level families. In an attempt to ascertain if there were changes in the production of the structures as a function of socioeconomic level, samples of speech obtained in response to verbal and picture stimulation of 20 low socioeconomic children and 20 middle-high socioeconomic children were analyzed to determine the presence (indicating Standard English use) or absence (indicating Black English use) of these four structures. The results indicated that there was a significant difference between the low and middle-high socioeconomic level children in their use of the four structures, with the middle-high SEL children demonstrating a greater degree of SE production than the low SEL kindergarten subjects.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references.

Extent

70 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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