Acknowledgements

The famous proverb says, “It takes a village…”. Indeed, over the years, my work and my life have benefited from the support of many brilliant and generous people, all of whom have helped me grow as a scholar and as a person. This book would not have seen the light of day without their constant encouragement. These lines are meant to express my deepest gratitude to them.

First and foremost, I am deeply grateful to Anna Cardinaletti, my PhD advisor, whom I esteem beyond words. Her constant support and guidance have been fundamental to the development of this book and to my growth as a scholar. Over the years, she has enthusiastically listened to my ideas, always offering insightful and detailed feedback that has enriched my work and continues to shape my approach to research.

I would also like to thank Stephanie Durrleman, who supervised me during my stay at the Université de Genève, for her knowledge in the field of language acquisition, a little of which she generously shared with me.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Elisabetta Jezek and Alessandro Lenci, who carefully reviewed an earlier version of this book; their careful reading, insightful questions, and detailed comments have greatly enhanced this work.

Many thanks go to the head principals and teachers of the kindergartens that kindly participated in this project, namely: scuola dell’infanzia “Gigi e Pupa Ferrari”; scuola dell’infanzia C. Collodi; scuola dell’infanzia “San Martino in Rio — Aurelia D’Este” (all located in the province of Reggio Emilia); and scuola dell’infanzia “Angolo Azzurro” (located in Mestre, in the province of Venice). I also wish to acknowledge the parents of my little participants and the little participants themselves.

I am deeply grateful to Gianluca Lebani, under whose supervision I have had the fortune to work over the past two years, for always being there, for his willingness to listen to my work-related and personal doubts, for his constant support and advice, and for the long discussions that have helped me grow and enriched me in countless ways. The only advice I don’t follow — and he knows it — are his style tips!

I will never stop thanking Gloria Gagliardi, who believed in me from day one. She is an outstanding researcher and teacher and, most importantly, a dear friend. I would not be where I am today if it were not for her.

I am deeply grateful to my PhD colleagues and friends — Sara, Luca, and Cristina (also known as Luchina) — who have shared their knowledge, many vegan dinners, and countless laughs with me. As Cristina once said, we will carry these memories with us forever.

A special acknowledgement goes to my PhD colleague Laura, who is truly an exceptional researcher and a remarkable person. I feel fortunate to call her my friend.

I want to thank Beatrice, Pietro, Agata, and Lucia, who have become my Venetian family. Thanks to them, this city has felt like home since I arrived.

Speaking of Venetian friends, I am grateful to Emanuele. He is a dear friend and an incredibly brilliant person — a true Doctor of Philosophy… literally! I cherish the time we have spent and continue to spend together, as conversations with him are always precious.

I am also grateful to Simone and Claudia, two bright, kind, and talented scholars who are also my friends. I feel fortunate to spend time with them, discussing linguistics as well as everything else. It is wonderful to know that we are always rooting for each other!

Returning to my roots, I would like to express my gratitude to my lifelong friends, Chiara, Giorgia, and Sofia (in alphabetical order). They are amazing and accomplished women who inspire me in many ways. I am grateful to have grown — and to continue growing — alongside them.

I also want to thank my beloved family — my dad, my mom, and my brother — who have supported me throughout this journey and all the ones that came before, and who will always be my home, no matter where we are. Words cannot express how much I love them and how grateful I am for everything.

Finally, I want to thank Umberto (you are like a ray of sunshine…), one of the most brilliant, generous, and kind-hearted people I have ever known. He teaches me every day that love can be happy, kind, funny, and simple. I love him completely, and I feel incredibly grateful to share this journey with him.