First Advisor

Joan McMahon

Term of Graduation

Spring 1974

Date of Publication

5-1974

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.) in Speech: Emphasis in Speech Pathology/Audiology

Department

Speech Communication

Language

English

Subjects

Verbal learning, Children -- Language, English language -- Prepositions

DOI

10.15760/etd.2172

Physical Description

1 online resource (vii, 44 pages)

Abstract

Numerous linguistic studies have been done to substantiate the importance of prepositions in the English language. However, no normative studies have been done on the acquisition of expressing prepositions.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if there were demonstrable trends which would indicate a need for normative data on the acquisition of twenty-six prepositions tested on the Expressive Preposition Test (EPT). The study set out to determine at what age levels a given percentage of the prepositions were expressively acquired and if the socioeconomic status (SES) of the child’s family would be a determiner as to the age at which the child would expressively use prepositions. The EPT was administered to a total of thirty-six children between the ages of four and nine years. One-half of the children were from families of low SES and one-half were from families of high SES.

The results show a high correlation between the age of the children and their ability to express prepositions. Each age group up through the eight-year-olds expressed a progressively higher percentage of the prepositions. A statement of positive correlation between intelligence-SES and EPT-SES was made in that those subjects in the high SES group scored higher on the intelligence quotient and EPT scores. Correlation coefficients indicate a slight correlation between the children’s intelligence quotient which ranged from 86-115 and their ability to express prepositions.

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Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/14425

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