Marco Casentini, Mara Frascarelli* and Giorgio Carella Null subject acquisition in L2 Chinese speakers: a case study on English L1 speakers https://doi.org/10.1515/caslar-2023-0001 Abstract: This article investigates the acquisition of null subjects (henceforth NSs) in (radical pro-drop) Chinese by learners whose native language is (non-pro-drop) English – henceforth ELs – working within the ‘topic chain’ information-structural approach. Our main goal is to verify whether a learner’s proficiency level can have an impact on the interpretation and acceptability of embedded NSs when more than one head is proposed for the relevant topic chain in different structural contexts (i.e., complements of bridge and factive verbs). The results of a pilot experimental test suggest that the requirement for a minimal overt link (MOLC) in the relevant chain plays an important role for ELs with a lower proficiency level. Conversely, MOLC restrictions do not affect ELs with a higher proficiency. Furthermore, the results show that ELs can correctly distinguish between complements of bridge and factive verbs already at an HSK 3 level. As for interpretation, results suggest that contextual information cannot supersede structural constraints for ELs. However, since a clash with contextual information seems to not affect acceptability for ELs, contrary to Chinese Native Speakers, we propose that even HSK 5 students have not fully acquired the competence for managing NSs in a radical language such as Chinese. Keywords: aboutness-shift (A-)topic; acquisition; bridge vs. factive complements; discourse-related competence; topic chain 摘要: 本文在“话题链”的信息结构方法下，研究了以（非空主语语言的）英语 为母语的汉语学习者（以下简称学习者）对（激进空主语语言的）汉语中空主 语的习得。我们的主要目标是验证在不同的结构背景（如桥式动词和事实动词 The authors have worked jointly on the study conception and the design of this work, constantly confronting and discussing the results of the empirical investigation. For the concerns of the Italian academy, Marco Casentini is responsible for Sections 1, 2.3, 4 and 4.1, Mara Frascarelli is responsible for Sections 2, 2.1, 2.2 and 5 and Giorgio Carella is responsible for Sections 3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 4.2. *Corresponding author: Mara Frascarelli, Via del Valco di San Paolo, 19 00146, Rome, Italy, E-mail: mara.frascarelli@uniroma3.it Marco Casentini, Dorsoduro 3462, Venice, Italy, E-mail: marco.casentini@unive.it Giorgio Carella, Via del Valco di San Paolo, 19, Rome, Italy, E-mail: giorgio.carella@uniroma3.it CASLAR 2023; 12(1): 1–36