Language and the learning curve : a new theory of syntactic development Introduction Valency Linguistic approaches to valency and syntactic structure Implication for acquisition : syntax is simple Developmental evidence : the earliest word combinations are syntactic mergers Conclusions : children learn to merge two words according to their valency The learning curve The learning curve in cognitive psychology Implication for acquisition : syntax should transfer right away Developmental evidence : learning curves and generalizations in early syntax Conclusions : lexical specific syntactic frames facilitate others Lexicalism The linguistic basis to lexicalism Implication for acquisition : no abstract schema formation Developmental evidence : no change in the form of syntactic schemas Conclusions : children learn a lexicalist syntax Similarity Similarity for transfer and generalization Implication for acquisition : no role for semantic linking in learning syntax Developmental evidence : no semantic effects in generalization and transfer Conclusions : children utilize similarity of form to organize the process of acquisition The growth of syntax The language web Implication for acquisition : learning means linking to the network Developmental evidence : children recreate the global features of the maternal network Conclusions : children join the language network