Preschoolers' communicative competence: register shift in the marking of power in different contexts of friendship group talk

Abstract

Research has focused on the acquisition of register knowledge, the process by which children choose the appropriate speech (e.g., request forms) for the circumstance. This study examines preschoolers' control act language as a device to index ranking in the friendship group. Are certain children consistently indexed as high ranking and does ranking fluctuate by context? A longitudinal ethnographic study of a preschool classroom was conducted. Children were videotaped on different occasions in friendship groups. Transcripts of play within a girls' and a boys' friendship group were analysed. Control acts were identified and coded for assertiveness/deference and mitigation. Through assertive and deferent control acts, certain children were consistently indexed as high- and low-ranking members of each group. Preschoolers were sensitive to factors like expertise and competence that altered the ranking of group members in specific contexts. Girls used mitigation in some contexts, possibly to index solidarity associated with specific female roles.

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