@misc{HoehleHoernigWeskottetal.2014,
  author    = {H{\"o}hle, Barbara and H{\"o}rnig, Robin and Weskott, Thomas and Knauf, Selene and Kr{\"u}ger, Agnes},
  title     = {Effects of focus and definiteness on children's word order},
  series = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe},
  journal   = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe},
  number    = {511},
  issn      = {1866-8364},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-41569},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-415695},
  pages     = {31},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Two experiments tested how faithfully German children aged 4; 5 to 5; 6 reproduce ditransitive sentences that are unmarked or marked with respect to word order and focus (Exp1) or definiteness (Exp2). Adopting an optimality theory (OT) approach, it is assumed that in the German adult grammar word order is ranked lower than focus and definiteness. Faithfulness of children's reproductions decreased as markedness of inputs increased; unmarked structures were reproduced most faithfully and unfaithful outputs had most often an unmarked form. Consistent with the OT proposal, children were more tolerant against inputs marked for word order than for focus; in conflict with the proposal, children were less tolerant against inputs marked for word order than for definiteness. Our results suggest that the linearization of objects in German double object constructions is affected by focus and definiteness, but that prosodic principles may have an impact on the position of a focused constituent.},
  language  = {en}
}
@misc{FranselowSchlesewskyVogeletal.2011,
  author    = {Franselow, Gisbert and Schlesewsky, Matthias and Vogel, Ralf and Weskott, Thomas},
  title     = {Animacy effects on crossing wh-movement in German},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-93630},
  pages     = {657 -- 683},
  year      = {2011},
  abstract  = {This article presents several acceptability rating experiments concerned with crossing wh-movement in German multiple questions. Our results show that there is no general superiority effect in German, thus refuting claims to the contrary by Featherston (2005). However, acceptability is reduced when a whphrase crosses a wh-subject with which it agrees in animacy. We explain this finding in terms of the availability of different sorting keys for the answers to the multiple questions.},
  language  = {en}
}