Acquisition of structures with clitic climbing in European Portuguese

Abstract

We present data from an elicited production task and from spontaneous production to investigate the development of clitic climbing by European Portuguese speaking children. We show that clitic climbing is acquired early, that children are sensitive to the presence of proclisis triggers that favour clitic climbing, and that there is development of the knowledge of the verbs that allow clitic climbing. Taking into account the developmental patterns that show an early preference for clitic climbing, we discuss the notion of complexity in child language.