Let’s practice coding complex syntax. We’ll walk you through it! Karen Barako Arndt & C. Melanie Schuele Vanderbilt University Medical Center Revised (to

Let’s practice coding complex syntax.We’ll walk you through it!

Karen Barako Arndt & C. Melanie SchueleVanderbilt University Medical Center

Revised (to correct errors): 10-14-15This presentation is supplementary digital content that accompanies the publication below. The copyright for this material is retained by the authors. © Barako Arndt & Schuele, 2013.

Barako Arndt, K. & Schuele, C. M. (2013). Multiclausal utterances aren’t just for big kids: A framework for analysis of complex syntax production in spoken language of preschool- and early school-age children. Topics in Language Disorders, 33(2), 125-139.

Supplemental Complex Syntax Coding Practice

In this tutorial you will find two language samplesThe first sample is from a typical, 5-year-old

male. We have already identified the utterances that include complex syntax. You will need to do two things: 1. Find (and underline) the elements of each utterance

that make it complex, and 2. Use the complex syntax coding manual and select a

complex syntax type (or types) for each utterance.

After you have some practice coding, you will be ready to try a more independent task! The second sample is from a typical, 4-year-old

male. In this sample we have NOT identified utterances as complex or not. You will need to do two things: 1. Identify which utterances are complex, marking them

with a [cs] code, and 2. Further identify these utterances with the appropriate

code from the coding manual.

© Barako Arndt & Schuele, 2013; [email protected]

SDC for Barako Arndt & Schuele (2013)

Before You Begin Language Sample 1

E = Examiner UtteranceC = Child UtteranceGoal 1: To determine the elements of a

Child Utterance that make it complexGoal 2: To assign a complex syntax type

(or types) to each Child Utterance

Be sure to refer to Table 3 in Barako Arndt and Schuele (2013) and further elaboration of the complex syntax coding system in SDC as you code!



E what/'s the party zone?C it/'s [concop] a little building thing where

there/'s (a) a fun zone (an*) and bouncer/s (and stuff). Underline the

elements of the child utterance

that make it complex




there/'s (a) a fun zone (an*) and bouncer/s (and stuff).

You did it! Now identify what’s underlined with a complex syntax code

or codes.



PLEASE NOTE: All utterances with

complex syntax get a [cs] code in our

transcripts. But in this illustration we do not append the [cs] code

to each utterance with complex syntax simply to streamline the presentation; we

show only the complex syntax type

codes.


there/'s (a) a fun zone (an*) and bouncer/s (and stuff) [RC].

Great Job! You might have confused that RC with a WFC, but take note that the clause is modifying a noun (building thing); the clause

is not an argument of a verb.



E what kind of stuff do you like to do with your brothers and sisters?

C (I like : um) my brother like/3s to play with his starwars lego/s [p:mhm].

C And my sister like/3s to play with her Barbie stuff.

E and how do you play that game?C super si*>= c related to child's previous utterance.C (um well um :03 well um) dieseldreaming

is where you race a hot rod.C and starfishman is where you try to stop a

train (and stuff).

Let’s underline those complex

elements again!




C (I like : um) my brother like/3s to play with his starwars lego/s [p:mhm].

C and my sister like/3s to play with her Barbie stuff.


is where you race a hot rod.C and starfishman is where you try to stop a

train (and stuff).

You did it! Now identify what’s underlined with

a complex syntax code or

codes.




C (I like : um) my brother like/3s to play with his starwars lego/s [p:mhm] [SI].

C and my sister like/3s to play with her Barbie stuff [SI].


is where you race a hot rod [NRC].C and starfishman is where you try to stop a

train (and stuff) [NRC] [SI].

You’re getting the hang of this! Remember there

may be more than one CS

type within an utterance.



E [p:mhm] : 03 and can sistername and (um) brothername play that game with you?

E or do you play by yourself?C I play by myself.C But most of all logan help/3s me on the

train [p:ohyeah] because sometimes it can/n't stop the train.

C so that/'s why I have :04 to play video

game/s on the floor with my body.

E Tell me about your room. C {mm} my room has stripe/s instead of

train/s on it now since my train one got a little dirty.

Time to underline!



E [p:mhm] : 03 and can sistername and (um) brothername play that game with you or do you play by yourself?

C I play by myself.C But most of all logan help/3s me on the

train [p:ohyeah] because sometimes it can/n't stop the train.


game/s on the floor with my body.


train/s on it now since my train one got a little dirty.

You did it! Now identify what’s underlined with a complex

syntax code or codes



E [p:mhm] : 03 and can sistername and (um) brothername play that game with you or do you play by yourself?

C I play by myself.C But most of all logan help/3s me on the

train [p:ohyeah] because sometimes it can/n't stop the train [SC].


game/s on the floor with my body [NRC] [SI].


train/s on it now since my train one got a little dirty [SC].

You’ve got it!!!



C {mm} (well) I don't remember where I got him

C But I did remember when I had him. C (well) if you win you just have to help lady. E What happens during morning meeting?E What do you have to do?C (well) you just go see my teacher Miss

Ragsdale.C [p:mhm] And we go to the rainbow carpet. C and we listen to what she says.C and she tell/3s us what day it is.

Yep, it’s time again!

Underline the elements of

the child utterance

that make it complex.



C {mm} (well) I don't remember where I got him

C but I did remember when I had him.

C (well) if you win you just have to help lady. E What happens during morning meeting?E What do you have to do?C (well) you just go see my teacher Miss

Ragsdale.C [p:mhm] And we go to the rainbow carpet C and we listen to what she says.C and she tell/3s us what day it is.

You did it! Now identify what’s underlined with

a Complex Syntax code or

codes



C {mm} (well) I don't remember where I got him [WFC].

C but I did remember when I had him [WFC]. C (well) if you win you just have to help lady

[SC]. E What happens during morning meeting?E What do you have to do?C (well) you just go see my teacher Miss

Ragsdale.C [p:mhm] And we go to the rainbow carpet

and we listen to what she says [CC] [NRC].C and she tell/3s us what day it is [WFC].

In the first and second utterances above there is a production of REMEMBER, a cognitive state verb

that is a complement-taking verb. In the underlined dependent clause a WH clause is the complement of

REMEMBER. REMEMBER is a verb that can take several types of complements: remember to eat dinner [si]; remember the meeting is on Monday

[fpc]; remember where the meeting is [wfc]; remember how to drive the car [wnfc]. The second

utterance in this group has the same complex syntax type as the first.


SDC for Barako Arndt & Schuele (2013); revised 9-30-15

C {mm} (well) I don't remember where I got him but I did remember when I had him [NRC] [FPC].

C (well) if you win you just have to help lady

[SC]. E What happens during morning meeting?E What do you have to do?C (well) you just go see my teacher Miss

Ragsdale.C [p:mhm] And we go to the rainbow carpetC and we listen to what she says [NRC].C and she tell/3s us what day it is [WFC].

Now to explain the utterances below. In the first complex utterance, what she says is an NRC (cf., the thing that she

says); the dependent clause occupies the NP (noun phrase) position as an object of the preposition to. In the

second complex utterance, what day it is is a complement of the verb tell. Notice the similarity of these dependent classes but the different function in the clause - noun

position of a prepositional phrase vs. as a verb complement. TELL requires two complements – an indirect

object and a NP or a clause.



E what happened in that one?C (well) there was a hot wheel movie that I

saw. C <I/'m gonna couple the car/s> while you

look for the track/s.You know the drill! Underline

the elements of the child utterance that make it

complex.




saw. C <I/'m gonna couple the car/s> while you

look for the track/s.

Last slide to come: Code these utterances! You can

do it!




saw [RC]. C <I/'m gonna couple the car/s> while you

look for the track/s [SC].

Great work!!!



Before You Begin Language Sample 2

e = Examiner Utterancec = Child UtteranceGoal 1: To determine which child

utterances have complex syntax (thus taking the [cs] code).

Goal 2: To assign a complex syntax type (or types) to each child utterance that was assigned a [cs] code.

Be sure to refer to Table 3 in Barako Arndt and Schuele (2013) and further elaboration of the complex syntax coding system in the SDC as you code!



12 c what do [d] you wanna do? 13 e (well) we're going to play with this house. 14 c (yeah). 15 e (okay) and I am gonna open this up. 16 <and you> can look and see what is inside to put in our house. 17 c <the door op*>> 18 c (this {huh} those xx) xxx else to go on this? 19 = g is this something else to go on this? 20 e (um) look at that thing right beside you. 21 c (um) this go/*3s like this. 22 c (no). 23 c I think I have to put this together [p:mhm]. 24 c I can/n't do it. 25 c I need a little help. 26 e you need a little help? 27 e let me see.



28 e do you want look inside and see what kind of things we have for our house? 29 c like a fireplace you need. 30 e do you have a fireplace at your house? 32 = c really means yes. 33 c she might stick her hand in. 34 e {oh}. 35 c she/'s [concop] only one. 36 e {oh} she is? 37 c she/'s [concop] only oneandahalf [p:oh]. 38 c that/'s [concop] how old she is [unconcop]. 39 e do you like having a baby sister? 40 c yeah I want/ed a baby brother [p:oh]. 41 c you can/n't always get what you want <> always [p:mhm]. 42 e <that is right>. 43 c because^ 44 e do you just have one sister?



45 c (yeah). 46 e no brothers? 47 c (no). 48 e you're the oldest? 49 c {uhhuh} <I/'m> [concop] four. 50 e [p:yeah]. 51 e how do you like being the oldest? 52 c I like it [p:mhm]. 53 e what kind of things can you do with your baby sister? 54 c (um) try to teach her some thing/s. 55 e (what do youx*) what do you teach her? 56 c to sit. 57 c and she sit/3s [p:wow] (in) in her chair. 58 e {wow}. 59 c she has [3irr] a very own chair for herself [p:yeah]. 60 c and I have one (for my own) [p:yeah] for my very own self for me. 61 e {oh} you have a chair for yourself? 62 c {uhhuh} (I can) I can carry it [p:oh]. © Barako Arndt & Schuele, 2013;

[email protected] for Barako Arndt & Schuele (2013)

63 c (it's big eno*) it/'s [concop] really big 64 c and I can carry it. 65 e [p:mhm] you can carry it you must be strong. 66 e how'd you get so strong? 67 c because (this that) [err] personname weigh/ed me I was [unconcop] like fortyfortypound/s [err]. 68 = g because when (omitted) personname weighed me I was like forty pounds. 69 e the doctors weighed you? 70 c {uhhuh}. 71 e what is like when you go to see the doctor? 72 c (um) they gave [ptirr] me a shot [p:oh]. 73 c but I did/n't [d] [ptirr] cry. 74 e (well) you are brave. 75 e why do you think other people cry sometimes? 76 c my baby sister got [ptirr] two. 77 c but I only got [ptirr] one. 78 e {oh} did she cry? © Barako Arndt & Schuele, 2013;


79 c twice. 80 e {oh} she cried twice both times when she got shots. 81 c {mm} I don't [d] know. 82 e why do you think she cried? 83 c because she/'s [concop] only oneandahalf. 84 e {oh uhhuh} did you cry when you were one and a half? 85 c yeah when I got [ptirr] a shot [p:mhm] because a really bad one [p:yeah]. 86 c my shot was [concop] right here. 87 e {oh} what happened? 88 e tell me about it? 89 c (um) they gave me a shot 90 c and I did/n't [d] [ptirr] cry [p:uhhuh] at all. 91 e yeah (well) that's good. 92 c {mhm}. 93 e I remember when I was your age, I used to go to the doctor. 94 e and I would hide from the doctors because I would hate to get shots.

© Barako Arndt & Schuele, 2013;


95 e but I am not brave like you. 96 e you are <brave about> getting shots. 97 c <me too>. 98 c (I I) I do too. 99 e what do you do? 100 c hide. 101 e {oh} you hide sometimes when you go to the doctor? 102 e . 103 c (ok) to be sneaky. 104 e {oh} where do you hide? 105 c (with) behind my mommy. 106 e {oh} yeah? 107 e and what do they say when you try to hide? 108 e what does your mommy tell you? 109 c I peek out [p:uhuh] really quick, (I) so quick they can/n't even see me again.



12 c what do [d] you wanna do? 13 e (well) we're going to play with this house. 14 c (yeah). 15 e (okay) and I am gonna open this up. 16 e <and you> can look and see what is inside to put in our house. 17 c <the door op*>> 18 c (this {huh} those xx) xxx else to go on this? 19 = g is this something else to go on this? 20 e (um) look at that thing right beside you. 21 c (um) this go/*3s like this. 22 c (no). 23 c I think I have to put this together [p:mhm]. 24 c I can/n't do it. 25 c I need a little help. 26 e you need a little help? 27 e let me see.



And the complex syntax

Uttera

nces are in

bold …

28 e do you want look inside and see what kind of things we have for our house? 29 c like a fireplace you need. 30 e do you have a fireplace at your house? 32 = c really means yes. 33 c she might stick her hand in. 34 e {oh}. 35 c she/'s [concop] only one. 36 e {oh} she is? 37 c she/'s [concop] only oneandahalf [p:oh]. 38 c that/'s [concop] how old she is [unconcop]. 39 e do you like having a baby sister? 40 c yeah I want/ed a baby brother [p:oh]. 41 c you can/n't always get what you want <> always [p:mhm]. 42 e <that is right>. 43 c because^ 44 e do you just have one sister?



45 c (yeah). 46 e no brothers? 47 c (no). 48 e you're the oldest? 49 c {uhhuh} <I/'m> [concop] four. 50 e [p:yeah]. 51 e how do you like being the oldest? 52 c I like it [p:mhm]. 53 e what kind of things can you do with your baby sister? 54 c (um) try to teach her some thing/s. 55 e (what do youx*) what do you teach her? 56 c to sit. 57 c and she sit/3s [p:wow] (in) in her chair. 58 e {wow}. 59 c she has [3irr] a very own chair for herself [p:yeah]. 60 c and I have one (for my own) [p:yeah] for my very own self for me. 61 e {oh} you have a chair for yourself? 62 c {uhhuh} (I can) I can carry it [p:oh]. © Barako Arndt & Schuele, 2013;


63 c (it's big eno*) it/'s [concop] really big 64 c and I can carry it. 65 e [p:mhm] you can carry it you must be strong. 66 e how'd you get so strong? 67 c because (this that) [err] personname weigh/ed me I was [unconcop] like fortyfortypound/s [err]. 68 = g because when (omitted) personname weighed me I was like forty pounds. 69 e the doctors weighed you? 70 c {uhhuh}. 71 e what is like when you go to see the doctor? 72 c (um) they gave [ptirr] me a shot [p:oh]. 73 c but I did/n't [d] [ptirr] cry. 74 e (well) you are brave. 75 e why do you think other people cry sometimes? 76 c my baby sister got [ptirr] two. 77 c but I only got [ptirr] one. 78 e {oh} did she cry? © Barako Arndt & Schuele, 2013;


79 c twice. 80 e {oh} she cried twice both times when she got shots. 81 c {mm} I don't [d] know. 82 e why do you think she cried? 83 c because she/'s [concop] only oneandahalf. 84 e {oh uhhuh} did you cry when you were one and a half? 85 c yeah when I got [ptirr] a shot [p:mhm] because a really bad one [p:yeah]. 86 c my shot was [concop] right here. 87 e {oh} what happened? 88 e tell me about it? 89 c (um) they gave me a shot. 90 c and I did/n't [d] [ptirr] cry [p:uhhuh] at all. 91 e yeah (well) that's good. 92 c {mhm}. 93 e I remember when I was your age, I used to go to the doctor. 94 e and I would hide from the doctors because I would hate to get shots.



95 e but I am not brave like you. 96 e you are <brave about> getting shots. 97 c <me too>. 98 c (I I) I do too. 99 e what do you do? 100 c hide. 101 e {oh} you hide sometimes when you go to the doctor? 102 e . 103 c (ok) to be sneaky. 104 e {oh} where do you hide? 105 c (with) behind my mommy. 106 e {oh} yeah? 107 e and what do they say when you try to hide? 108 e what does your mommy tell you? 109 c I peek out [p:uhuh] really quick, (I) so quick they can/n't even see me again.



Lines with Complex Syntax18, 23, 29, 38, 41, 54, 56, 67, 83, 85, 103, 109

Notes:Line 17: Code this utterance, even though it is

partially intelligible. What is intelligible indicates an instance of complex syntax.



Complex Syntax types, line by line

18 c (this {huh} those xx) xxx else to go on this [cs] [si]?

23 c I think I have to put this together [p:mhm] [cs] [fpc] [si]. THINK is a cognitive state verb that takes a clausal

complement. HAVE is a complement taking verb with to put as the infinitival complement.

29 c like a fireplace you need [cs] [rc].This is an object relative clause attached to an

isolated noun phrase. © Barako Arndt & Schuele, 2013; [email protected]



38 c that/'s [concop] how old she is [unconcop] [cs] [nrc]. There is no cognitive state verb; there is no head

noun. This is a nominal relative clause. This sentence structures is a common form for [nrc] – That is followed by an NRC. The nominal relative clause is a subject complement, according to Quirk et al.

41 c you can/n't always get what you want <> always [p:mhm] [cs] [nrc].Get requires a direct object, typically a noun (e.g., I

got the book). Here a nominal relative clause is in the direct object position. With a nominal relative clause, you should be able to restate it as a relative clause with a general noun, for example, you can’t always get the thing that you want.




54 c (um) try to teach her some thing/s [cs] [si]. In this utterance, the child has produce an infinitival

clause, but the complement taking verb was not produced.

56 c to sit [cs] [si]. In this utterance, the infinitival complement

appears alone. There is no complement taking verb. The infinitival complement is produced contingent on the previous adult utterance.




67 c because (this that) [err] personname weigh/ed me I was [unconcop] like fortyfortypound/s [err] [cs] [sc] [sc].In this utterance, it is critical that the gloss (see on

slide 30 and repeated below) is examined when coding complex syntax.

68 = g because when (omitted) personname weighed me I was like forty pounds.Although only one subordinate conjunction is

apparent in the utterance, the gloss indicates that the other subordinate conjunction (i.e., when) was omitted (in error) by the child. Even though there is an error, we code complexity and simultaneously note the error.




83 c because she/'s [concop] only oneandahalf [cs] [sc].

[sc] is coded when there is only one clause with the subordinate conjunction (as with this utterances) as well as when there is the dependent clause along with the main clause (i.e., a complete sentence).

.




85 c yeah when I got [ptirr] a shot [p:mhm] because [err] a really bad one [p:yeah] [cs] [sc] [sc].This is another utterance where the gloss line is

important to get the right codes inserted. Unfortunately, the transcriber did not include a gloss for this utterance. So we’ll generate a hypothetical gloss

= g yeah when I got a shot because it was a really bad one We include two [sc] codes. One for the correctly

produced subordinate conjunction clause (when I got a shot) and one for the attempted subordinate conjunction clause in which the child omitted the subject and verb. This pattern might be found to be consistent – omitting clausal elements when attempting to produce dependent clauses.




103 c (ok) to be sneaky [cs] [si].

109 c I peek out [p:uhuh] really quick, (I) so quick they can/n't even see me again [cs] [other].The complex syntax in this utterance does not

align with any of our categories. Based on Quirk et al., this complex syntax seems to be a sentential complement. We code it as [other]. Recall that very few of the complex syntax tokens in our research language samples have been assigned to the [other] category. This utterances is a great example to illustrate that our coding system does not capture all complex syntax produced by preschoolers, but it does capture the overwhelming majority.



In ConclusionAfter completing this practice, you should be

better able to determine the elements of a child utterance that make it complex.

You should also be better able to assign a complex syntax type (or types) to each child utterance.

Recognizing the presence of complex syntax is the first step, and with practice, you will be better able to both recognize and code complex syntax in child utterances!

Be sure to refer to Table 3 in Barako Arndt and Schuele (2013) and the complex syntax coding system in SDC as you continue to code!

Questions?? Email [email protected]



mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Let’s practice coding complex syntax. We’ll walk you through it! Karen Barako Arndt & C. Melanie Schuele Vanderbilt University Medical Center Revised (to