Japanese Passives in Acquisition

A large number of grammar acquisition studies in recent years have convincingly shown that many properties of the allegedly biologically determined Universal Grammar (UG) constrain grammar acquisition from a very early age (see e.g. Crain 1991, Otsu 1981, Wexler 1994). A natural prediction to be drawn from this observation is that the constructions which are generated by the interactions of various modules of UG should also emerge early. One such construction is the passive construction (Boeckx 1998, Chomsky 1981, Baker, et al. 1989, Jaeggli 1986). Several experimental studies have tested this prediction with respect to the acquisition of passives in English (e.g. Maratsos, et al. 1985, Pinker, et al. 1987). However, the prediction was not borne out; it was found that children seem to have difficulty in comprehending full passives (i.e. passives with by-phrase). To account for these observations, Borer and Wexler (1987, 1992) proposed that young children do not have the ability to form A-chains, and that this ability is maturationally controlled (and does not emerge until around the age of four or so).