Syntax of the Linguistic Sentence in Children with Down Syndrome in the Sultanate of Oman

Abstract

This study aims to trace the syntax of the linguistic sentence in children with Down syndrome by giving them pictures from children's stories and asking each child to describe the pictures after hearing the natural children’s descriptions. This is to trace the syntax used by children with Down syndrome and demonstrate they are to communicate with their peers and the way they construct linguistic sentences as their ability to speak and express is less than their ability to understand what is being said. This study focused on answering the question it posed, which is the extent of the ability of children with Down syndrome in the Sultanate of Oman to express themselves and what structures they adopt in their expressions. This study is based on a clear principle saying that the linguistic sentence is a complete expression indicating a meaning. The study finds that these children, compared to normal children, rely on sentences with transformational structures. This is possibly due to the lack of the expressive vocabulary they need to describe a scene or an image. They use the past tense and imperative, not the present tense.