Some Notes on Linguistic Theory and Language Development: The Case of Root Infinitives

Abstract

Around the age of 2, language learners typically produce main declaratives with verbs in the infinitival form. It is claimed that such root infinitives are truncated structures, arising from the option of "stripping off" external clausal layers. The basic properties of the construction are shown to be amenable to the Truncation Hypothesis: Root infinitives are incompatible with wh-elements, subject critics, auxiliaries, and so forth. The virtual nonoccurrence of the construction in early Italian follows from the Truncation Hypothesis in conjunction with independent properties of Italian infinitives with respect to V-to-I movement. The Truncation Hypothesis also relates root infinitives to other properties of early grammatical systems, such as the option of omitting subjects in root contexts.

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