El desarrollo de las categorías gramaticales: Análisis contrastivo, adquisición de lenguaje, categorías gramaticales.

The aim of this project is to do research - from the point of view of linguístic analysis- on the acquisiton of a native language noting the differences yhat follow from the language that is being acquired (English, Spanish, or Catalan). Research will focus on the acquisition of grammatical categories (Aspect, Tense, Complementizer, etc.) which, according to recent proposals, seem essential for a precise and complete description of adult grammars. We want to elucidate how and when the child acquires them: which conditions must be met so that each one of these categories becomes a part of the grammar and to what extent the acquisition of one is a necessary prerequisite for the acquisition of another. Our research is located in the area of Chomskyan generative grammar which, for the last fifteen years approximately, and within the framework known as Principles and Parameters, is encouraging a growing interest in the study of the process of the acquisition of a language. Independently of the theoretical contributions that may result from this project, we are also encouraged by a practical aim: the construction of a sufficiently rich and complete database which, apart from being a necessary condition for our own research, will be introduced in the international database known as CHILDES (Child Language Data Exchange System). the early linguistic development of three subjects (a Spanish-speaking one, a Catalan speaking one and a bilingual Catalan-English one) will be registered.