A Developmental Analysis of Parts of Speech Usage in Greek-speaking Children 3-6 Years Old

Language acquisition in all natural human languages is a process in which its foundations are laid during the formative years of early childhood when the brain undergoes developmental changes. Exploring specific linguistic components provides a detailed lens through which to understand the intricacies of language acquisition. This journal article investigates the developmental trajectory of parts of speech (POS) usage in Greek-speaking children aged 3-6 years. Leveraging a sample size of 300 participants, evenly distributed across three age groups (3-4, 4-5, and 5-6 years), the study employs a spontaneous speech sample to conduct a thorough statistical analysis. Findings reveal substantial differences in POS usage across distinct age categories and insignificant ones between boys and girls. Specifically, inflectional speech parts were more common than non-inflectional ones across all three age groups. Children used more often nouns (22.66%), verbs (22.25%), pronouns (12.63%), articles (11.98%), adverbs (10.36%), and conjunctions (10.82%). On the other hand, prepositions (4.69%), adjectives (3%), particles (1.17%), interjections (0.27%), and participles (0.16%) were used less frequently. This research provides valuable information regarding POS milestones, contributes to our understanding of language development in Greek-speaking children, and holds implications for tailored interventions and educational practices.