Introduction
Chapter 1: Previous Studies
1.1 Theoretical issues of empty subject sentences
1.1.1 Empty subject sentence in English
1.1.2 Empty subject sentence in Japanese
1.1.3 Empty subject sentence in Chinese
1.1.4 Summary
1.2 Processing of empty subject sentences
1.2.1 English empty subject sentence processing
1.2.2 Japanese empty subject sentence processing
1.2.3 Chinese empty subject sentence processing
1.3 Conclusion
Chapter 2: Processing empty subject sentences among Chinese children
2.1 Language Acquisition
2.1.1 Skinner' s (1957) view
2.1.2 Chomsky's (1959) view
2.1.3 Piaget's (1970) view
2.1.4 Chomsky's (1976) view
2.1.5 Summary
2.2 Experiments
2.2.1 Off -line Experiment
2.2.2 On -line Experiment
2.2.3 General discussion from SOV and OSV orders
2.3 Concluding remarks
Chapter 3: Processing empty subject sentences among Japanese children
3.1 Experiment
3.1.1 Experimental Design
3.1.2 Apparatus and Procedure
3.1.3 SOV word order
3.1.4 OSV word order
3.1.5 General discussion from SOV and OSV orders
3.2 Concluding remarks
Chapter 4: Processing empty subject sentences among Ll English / 12 hinese
leamers
4.1 Research and Theoretical issues in Second Language(12) Acquisition
4.2 Experiment
4.2.1 Experimental Design
4.2.2 Apparatus and Procedure
4.2.3 SOV word order
4.2.4 OSV word order
4.2.5 General discussion from SOV and OSV orders
4.3 Concluding remarks
Chapter 5: Processing empty subject sentences among Ll English 12 Japanese
learners
5.1 Experiment
5.1.1 ExperimentalDesign
5.1.2 Apparatus and Procedure
5.1.3 SOV word order
5.1.4 OSV word order
5.1.5 General discussion from SOV and OSV orders
5.2 Concluding remarks
Chapter 6: Conclusion Appendices
Appendix A: Dui - construction in Chinese
Appendix B: Verb Acquisition ( Ch 2)
Appendix C: Chinese Sentences for Experiment ( Ch 2)
Appendix D: Japanese Sentences for Experiment(Ch 3)
Appendix E: Chinese Sentences for Experiment ( Ch4)
References