Features or parameters: which one makes second language acquisition easier, and more interesting to study?
Features or parameters: which one makes second language acquisition easier, and more interesting to study?
While agreeing with Lardiere that the 'parameter-resetting' approach to understanding second language acquisition (SLA) needs rethinking, it is suggested that a more construction-based perspective runs the risk of losing deductive and explanatory power. An alternative is to investigate the constraints on feature assembly/re-assembly in second language (L2) grammars. A model of grammatical organization is adopted from Ramchand and Svenonius (2008) in which properties of the conceptual—intentional (C—I) module of mind are universal, and variation between languages is determined by the extent to which such properties are grammaticalized or determined by context. Predictions are then made about the degree of difficulty involved in determining the appropriate mapping from the C—I module to grammar or context when a learner's first language (L1) is similar to or different from the L2.
features in L2, articles, universal syntax/semantics, cline of L2 difficulty
313-324
Slabakova, Roumyana
1bda11ce-ce3d-4146-8ae3-4a486b6f5bde
April 2009
Slabakova, Roumyana
1bda11ce-ce3d-4146-8ae3-4a486b6f5bde
Slabakova, Roumyana
(2009)
Features or parameters: which one makes second language acquisition easier, and more interesting to study?
Second Language Research, 25 (2), .
(doi:10.1177/0267658308100291).
Abstract
While agreeing with Lardiere that the 'parameter-resetting' approach to understanding second language acquisition (SLA) needs rethinking, it is suggested that a more construction-based perspective runs the risk of losing deductive and explanatory power. An alternative is to investigate the constraints on feature assembly/re-assembly in second language (L2) grammars. A model of grammatical organization is adopted from Ramchand and Svenonius (2008) in which properties of the conceptual—intentional (C—I) module of mind are universal, and variation between languages is determined by the extent to which such properties are grammaticalized or determined by context. Predictions are then made about the degree of difficulty involved in determining the appropriate mapping from the C—I module to grammar or context when a learner's first language (L1) is similar to or different from the L2.
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Published date: April 2009
Keywords:
features in L2, articles, universal syntax/semantics, cline of L2 difficulty
Organisations:
Modern Languages
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Local EPrints ID: 353343
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/353343
ISSN: 0267-6583
PURE UUID: 285b1e91-2d12-4c03-b0b5-437e0858710f
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Date deposited: 05 Jun 2013 12:06
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:48
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