Studies of the processes of language acquisition

Research Projects:

Acquisition of Syntactic Dependencies in Brazilian Portuguese

Description: In this study, we investigate the acquisition of syntactic dependency relations in several constructions (such as ‘Qu’-questions, antecedent-pronoun, relative clauses, and null subject and object). Children acquiring Brazilian Portuguese as a mother tongue between 3 and 6 years of age are interviewed through experimental techniques.

Professor in charge: Elaine Bicudo Grolla (egrolla@usp.br)

 

Acquisition of Generic Names in Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese

Description: The objective of the research is to investigate the grammatical development of Brazilian Portuguese in adults who are acquiring this language in a classroom as a second or third language, and also the grammatical development of English and Spanish native speakers of Portuguese who are learning one of these languages in the classroom.

Professor in charge: Elaine Bicudo Grolla (egrolla@usp.br)

 

Acquisition of Syntactic Dependencies in Brazilian Portuguese

Description: In this study, we investigate children's behavior relating to syntactic dependencies in several constructions (such as WH-questions, antecedent-pronoun, relative clauses, null subjects and null objects). Children acquiring Brazilian Portuguese as their native language between 3 and 6 years of age are interviewed through experimental techniques.

Professor in charge: Elaine Grolla (egrolla@usp.br)

 

 

Acquisition of optional phonological processes in the state of São Paulo

Description: This project intends to discuss the acquisition of optional phonological processes by Brazilian Portuguese-speaking children in the variety spoken in São Paulo. In particular, the aim is to observe whether these processes are rules or automations.

Professor in charge: Raquel Santana Santos (raquelss@usp.br)

 

Second language acquisition/learning (2L, Foreign Language)

Description: Study on the processes of acquisition and/or learning of a second language, from several theoretical-methodological perspectives and the observation and analysis of non-native production.

Professor in charge: Neide Therezinha Maia González (nemago@terra.com.br)