Native language influence in second language acquisition
Authors : Julia Herschensohn and Martha Young-Scholten
Title : Native language influence in second language acquisition
From 1950s Contrastive Analysis (Lado 1957), native language (NL) influence or transfer—of phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, lexicon, pragmatics—has been and continues to be a primary issue in the field of second language acquisition (L2A). However, its importance is complemented by the other influences that affect L2A such as universal linguistic properties, frequency of usage and social considerations. The proposed workshop will reexamine the issue of NL transfer from three perspectives: two two-hour sessions of verbal communications will explore initial transfer and endstate transfer respectively, while a third two-hour session will invite a roundtable of L2 scholars with differing theoretical perspectives to evaluate the role of NL in L2A.
A special issue (Second Language Research 12.1, 1996) focusing on the initial state of the L2 learner with respect to morphosyntactic knowledge prompted varied responses (e.g. Schwartz & Sprouse, Vainikka & Young-Scholten) and the establishment of transfer (or no transfer) as a key factor in analyzing interlanguage competence. The initial state of the adult second language learner was taken as an unknown—is it a tabula rasa as for L1 infants, a version of the native grammar, or something in between? Nearly twenty years later, it is appropriate to revisit the role of transfer in the initial state in Workshop Session 1.
If one considers complete NL transfer as an option for the initial state, what remains of the NL in a learner whose L2 has stabilized, and has resulted in the endstate of a highly advanced speaker? The ultimate state learner (cf. Lardiere 2007) may have had years of input and have achieved nativelike abilities in a range of areas, yet persist in nonnativelike behaviors. Workshop Session 2 will investigate areas of transfer, both positive and negative, in endstate learners.
Finally, a roundtable meeting bringing together well-known L2 scholars with differing theoretical perspectives will constitute Workshop Session 3. These perspectives will encompass phonological development, neurolinguistic processing, social interaction, processability accounts of sequencing, generative UG approaches to morphosyntax, and connectionist views of lexical learning.
References
Lado, R. 1957. Linguistics across cultures. Ann Arbor: Michigan UP.
Lardiere, D. 2007. Ultimate attainment in second language acquisition. Mahwah, NJ: L. Erlbaum.
Schwartz, B. & Sprouse, R. 1996. L2 cognitive states and the Full Transfer/Full Access model. Second Language Research 12: 40-72.
Vainikka, A. & Young-Scholten, M. 1996 Gradual development of L2 phrase structure. Second Language Research 12: 7-39.
22.07.2013 10:30-12:30
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10:30 - 11:00 Maria-José EZEIZABARRENA et al.
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Specificity matters even when definiteness transfers11:30 - 12:00 John WINWARD
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Patterns in article production by learners with non-DP L112:00 - 12:30 Tokiko OKUMA
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L2A of discourse and semantic functions of pronouns
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22.07.2013 14:00-16:00
Title: Roundtable: Differing perspectives on native language influence in second language acquisitionChair: Julia HERSCHENSOHN
14:00 - 14:30 Julia HERSCHENSOHN et al.
Roundtable14:30 - 15:00 Donna LARDIERE
Roundtable15:00 - 15:30 Cheryl FRENCK-MESTRE
Roundtable15:30 - 16:00 Richard INGHAM
The diachrony of a child L2 variety: later Anglo-Norman
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22.07.2013 16:30-18:30
Title: Roundtable: Differing perspectives on native language influence in second language acquisitionChair: Martha YOUNG-SCHOLTEN
16:30 - 17:00 Martha YOUNG-SCHOLTEN
Roundtable17:00 - 17:30 Randal HOLME
Roundtable17:30 - 18:00 Bonnie SCHWARTZ
Roundtable18:00 - 18:30 Ellen BROSELOW
Roundtable
23.07.2013 10:30-12:30
Title: Native language influence in second language acquisition: Word order and processingChair: Viviane DÉPREZ
10:30 - 11:00 Natalie BOLL-AVETISYAN et al.
Can stress ‘deafness’ be countered after extensive exposure to an L2?11:00 - 11:30 Nuria SAGARRA
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Proficiency and sentential position effects on L1 transfer11:30 - 12:00 Cécile DECAT et al.
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23.07.2013 14:00-16:00
Title: Native language influence in second language acquisition: PostersChair: Nuria SAGARRA
14:00 - 16:00 all et al.
Posters session
Posters
Camelia DASCALUSelf-reference perspective taking and theory of mind in autistic children: The case of two French-speaking autistic childrenCaroline MASSON
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Prelinguistic vocalizations of an infant with autism from 9 to 12 months: observing risk factors of speech disorder in canonical babbling stage?Kleanthes K. GROHMANN et al.
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A Case Study on Lexical and Morphosyntactic Skills in Multilingual AutismPia NORDGREN
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Attention in terms of response time in one child with autism spectrum disordersSusan DOUGLAS
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What do you think what Cookie Monster eats?: a snap shot of wh-questions and psychological states in children with autismYhara FORMISANO
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Implicit meaning comprehension in autism spectrum disorders
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