Volition/Intent
Phase 4: A multi-verb category related to the single-verb category, state.
Initially, the first verb is a modal (e.g., wanna, gonna) that indicates
the child’s desire or intent regarding the complement. The subject of each
verb is the same. Children initially omit the infinitive “to”.
Utterance |
Context/Explanation |
I
want eat |
Child
stating desire to eat (subject + verb – to + verb) |
Gonna
hit you |
Child
intent on harming other child (verb/modal – to + verb phrase) |
I
wanna go home |
Child
noting desire to leave (subject + verb/modal – to + verb phrase) |