The Comprehension of Verbal Passives in Najdi Arabic

The acquisition of passive constructions has been the focus of considerable theoretical and empirical interest. Passive constructions are often considered late-acquired structures, not fully acquired for at least six years. This longitudinal study provides evidence that passive sentences emerge early in Najdi Arabic, around the age of three. It argues that the acquisition of passives is readily observed when the language lacks the morphological ambiguity of passives and accurate measures are used in the test administration. This paper concludes that theories of passive acquisition must account for these issues.