Finiteness and Aspect in Spanish/English Bilingual Acquisition

Abstract

The article investigates the acquisition of finiteness in the languages of a Spanish/English bilingual child (Mina, 1;9.5-2;6.21). We use the `underspecification of AspP hypothesis' of Gavruseva (2002 b, 2003) to argue that a non-finite root stage is attested in both Spanish and English, despite the fact that the two languages evolve as grammars with distinct INFLs (Rizzi 1993/94, Wexler 1998). It is shown that the use of non-finite and finite root predicates is determined by the verb's Aktionsart or, more precisely, by the verb's telicity semantics. We also argue that developmental trends support the `two separate systems' hypothesis of bilingual acquisition (Genesee 1989), with the similarities following from the undespecified aspectual heads in both grammars and the differences following from the morphological properties of inflectional paradigms.