Lithuanian and Russian child-directed speech: why do we ask young children so many questions?

ENThe main objective of the study was to identify and compare the variety and distribution of interrogatives in Lithuanian and Russian child-directed speech (CDS) from the perspective of the functional and structural characteristics of questions addressed to young children. The analysis was based on the longitudinal data of two monolingual typically developing children, a Lithuanian girl (2;0–2;8) and a Russian boy (2;0–2;8). The transcribed corpus of conversations between the children and their parents was annotated for multipurpose automatic linguistic analysis, using tools of the program CHILDES (Child Language Data Exchange System). During the investigation, the functional and structural features of parental interrogatives were analysed. After the analysis of conversations between the children and their parents, the following can be stated: in both Lithuanian and Russian CDS, interrogatives are more numerous than imperatives, statements and exclamations.The main objective of the study was to identify and compare the variety and distribution of interrogatives in Lithuanian and Russian child-directed speech (CDS) from the perspective of the functional and structural characteristics of questions addressed to young children. The analysis was based on the longitudinal data of two monolingual typically developing children, a Lithuanian girl (2;0–2;8) and a Russian boy (2;0–2;8). The transcribed corpus of conversations between the children and their parents was annotated for multipurpose automatic linguistic analysis, using tools of the program CHILDES (Child Language Data Exchange System). During the investigation, the functional and structural features of parental interrogatives were analysed. After the analysis of conversations between the children and their parents, the following can be stated: in both Lithuanian and Russian CDS, interrogatives are more numerous than imperatives, statements and exclamations.