Abstract:

Moldova is one of the smallest and poorest countries in Europe, yet it has a rich and multifaceted history that makes it an interesting case study when exploring the complex connections between language and identity. In this paper, I aim to explore the situation of the Soviet Union and the identity of Moldovans in regards to language policies, as well as the historic and social landscapes that allowed such policies to take hold, such has Moldova's historical roots with Romania. Although it has been over twenty years since the fall of the Soviet Union, an iron curtain still deeply divides the country of Moldova, and the cleavages are felt and defined in terms of linguistic identity. While the true conflicts and issues at stake in Moldova run much deeper than differences in linguistic identity and in issues surrounding minority language rights (for example, economic concerns), such discord is consistently framed in terms of linguistic conflict—a central theme in the Republic of Moldova ever since Soviet influence began in the 1920s.

As my year abroad in France was vastly approaching, it became apparent that the accessibility of certain resources would prove beneficial in the pursuit of my honors thesis in French. Thus, even before my departure it was decided that I would focus on the French texting language. While the specifics were not yet fully developed, it was certain that the subject was relevant as the use of communication technologies were becoming more prevalent amongst younger generations. Upon my arrival in Lyon, the objective of my thesis was realized as I began to slowly understand the descriptive nuances of both spoken French and the ever-changing texting language. As a language student, it felt necessary to understand and analyze both the prescriptive and descriptive facets of the French language, including those of the text shorthand. Therefore, it was my intention to learn the vocabulary and linguistic traits that were most frequented in this distinct jargon, not solely for myself, but also for my fellow students of French. This task was accomplished by reading and recording the text messages from ten native speakers. These texts were then compiled into a proper corpus, which was primarily used as the resource for the further applied projects I wished to create. Given this research, a type of dictionary was organized from the words that I found to be most exemplary of the French texting language. In addition, an analysis was also written concerning the common linguistics traits found in the corpus. It was my intent to provide the students of Arizona State University with relevant resources that could assist in the immersion process during or before their study abroad experience. In pursuit of any language, it seems that it is integral to maintain a sense of understanding of all common elements of a language, as they are constantly evolving. Thus, it was important for me in my attempt to master French that I understood all the nuances of the vernacular that were being used by the native speakers.

This study explores the acquisition of the determiner phrase (DP) in monolingual (L1) and bilingual (2L1) French. I investigate the acquisition of DP structures and features in the speech of two monolingual French and two bilingual French-English subjects from the CHILDES (Child Language Data Exchange System) corpus. I perform a thorough, longitudinal examination of the children's data, from the ages of 1;10 to 4;00, focusing on the description and analysis of their development of DP elements, words, and structures such as the definite and indefinite articles, demonstratives, and numerals, as well as the DP features of gender, number, and definiteness. I also consider the Adjective Phrase (AP) and its interaction with the DP.

This study complicates the traditional view of discrete, simplified stages of DP acquisition, arguing instead for an ongoing and complex process. Application of the Minimalist model of syntactic analysis provides essential insights into the underlying processes of child grammar, and suggests a number of previously unaddressed characteristics and patterns in French DP development.