Second Language Acquisition

The course will address traditional questions on the acquisition of a
second language within the generative framework: is L2 acquisition
constrained by UG? what is the role of the L1 in L2 acquisition? what is
(un)learnable? is optionality a characteristic of interlanguages? These
questions will constitute the background for the discussion of specific
topics such as the acquisition of finiteness, movement, different types of
pronouns and clitics, determiners and number marking. In the context of the
current discussion in the field it is particularly interesting to take into
account how L2 acquisition by children and by adults compares. We will
begin with a review of general issues on L2 acquisition and then move on to
more specific questions and studies dealing with them. We will discuss the
theoretical issues at stake as well as empirical aspects of current work.
The course will combine lectures with discussion on the basis of readings.