Extended uses of the progressive form in L1 and L2 Englishes

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 247-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heli Paulasto
Keyword(s):  
Functional Characteristics ◽  
Indian English ◽  
Vernacular English ◽  
Progressive Form ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
L1 English ◽  
Primary Substrate

This paper examines extended stative and habitual uses of the progressive form (PF), features of vernacular syntax that are shared by numerous contact-induced Englishes. Three of these are investigated here: Welsh English (WelE), a high-contact L1/L2 shift variety, Indian English, an indigenised L2 variety, and the traditional dialects of England, representing vernacular L1 English and a potential historical superstrate. Despite cross-varietal similarities, the PF proves to be quite distinctive in the corpora in terms of its structural, functional, and lexical properties. The patterns of variation are considered in relation to the primary substrate languages, Welsh and Hindi, the English English superstrate, and general developments in the use of the PF in English. The results indicate that the contact-induced varieties are typologically similar to the substrates in divergent ways and that the superstrate is clearly influential in WelE. Propositions of “angloversality” therefore need to be considered in light of regional linguistic ecologies and the structural and functional characteristics of (vernacular) English itself.

scholarly journals El papel del lenguaje en la construcción de explicaciones en la clase de ciencias en contextos bilingües a través del enfoque CLIL

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (21) ◽  
pp. 105-122
Author(s):  
Mauricio Mancipe Triviño ◽  
Cynthia Marcela Ramírez Valenzuela
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Language ◽  
Natural Phenomena ◽  
L2 Proficiency ◽  
Close Link ◽  
Cognitive Linguistic ◽  
Science Classes ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
L1 English ◽  
Do So

This paper covers the issue with respect to elaborating explanations about natural phenomena in the Science class in bilingual contexts (Spanish (L1) – English (L2)), in which the role of the language is analysed from two perspectives: communicative and explanatory. To do so, this article focuses on the categorisation of cognitive-linguistic abilities exhibited by the students throughout the implementation of the designed unit, as well as analysing the expressions used by them from the communicative perspective; this analysis is born from the upcoming and growing concern of bilingualism implementation in Colombia and Latin America. The methodology used follows an interpretative-qualitative analysis with an inductive analysis approach, analysing the collected information during the didactic implementation in recordings, products developed by students and class diaries from a sample of 25 and 19 students belonging to two private secondary schools located in Cajicá and Bogotá, Colombia. The document presents the reflections arisen from the analysis categories built to assess the collected information: socio-linguistic abilities, communication of ideas in both L1 and L2, the conceptual, social, epistemological and didactic aspects of knowledge. It was found a close link between the L2 proficiency and the depth of the explanations elaborated by the students, enabling the more competent students in L2 to communicate better using the scientific language and getting to more complex explanations. Moreover, the implementation re-dimensioned the content perspective applied by some teachers when using the CLIL approach, placing bilingualism in the Science classes in a dimension distant from transmitting information, being a medium that fosters communicative and explanatory processes by nurturing different cognitive-linguistic abilities.

The influence of first language polysemy and first language and second language lexical frequencies on second language learners’ use of false cognates

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 530-541
Author(s):  
Carl Cañizares-Álvarez ◽  
Virginia C Mueller Gathercole
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
First Language ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Complex Interaction ◽  
Word Choice ◽  
Relative Transparency ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
L1 English

Aims and objectives: This study examines second language (L2) bilinguals’ use of words that have the same or similar forms in their two languages but whose meaning extensions differ – that is, false cognates. We examine the conditions under which L2 speakers inappropriately use false cognates in the L2. How do frequency of the relevant words in each language and polysemy of the word in the first language (L1) affect L2 learners’ use of such words? Design: Fifty Spanish L1–English L2 adults translated 80 words in context from Spanish (S) to English (E). The words involved polysemous Spanish words that had several translations in English, one of which was a cognate form. Words were strictly balanced for L1 polysemy (high versus low), frequency of the S word, frequency of the E cognate form, and frequency of the E non-cognate translation. The words were presented in unambiguous contextual frames that pushed for the non-cognate translation in English. Data and analysis: Analyses of variance were used to analyze participants’ translations relative to the variables of Spanish polysemy and the frequencies of the forms in question. Findings: The findings show that the relative transparency or opacity of the mapping between the L1 and L2 influences word choice: the use of a false cognate instead of a competing correct lexical item depends on the complex interaction of L1 polysemy and the lexical frequencies of the L1 and L2 forms in the bilingual’s two languages. Originality: This study strictly controls for several factors crucial to L2 users’ choice of a word in the L2: polysemy in the L1, frequency of the L1 word, and frequencies of the L2 words involved. Significance: When these variables are viewed together, the data reveal a complex interaction showing factors that contribute to the transparency or opacity of the L1–L2 lexical semantic linkages.

scholarly journals DEFINITE DISCOURSE-NEW REFERENCE IN L1 AND L2

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 625-649 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Crosthwaite ◽  
Yuk Yeung ◽  
Xuefei Bai ◽  
Li Lu ◽  
Yeonsuk Bae
Keyword(s):  
First Language ◽  
Noun Phrases ◽  
Complex Syntax ◽  
L1 Data ◽  
L2 Production ◽  
Numeral Classifier ◽  
Crosslinguistic Influence ◽  
Asian Languages ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
L1 English

AbstractDefinite discourse-new bridging reference (e.g., a school …the teacher; Clark, 1975) is a complex syntax-pragmatic component of referential movement, one that is subject to relatively opaque form-function contingency compared with forms used for discourse-old reference, and one that is especially prone to crosslinguistic influence. Research shows Asian second language (L2) learners of English struggle to produce bridging reference appropriately, yet little research has been done on the L2 production of bridging in Asian languages. We collected oral picture sequence narrative data from 80 lower-intermediate L2 Mandarin learners from first language (L1) English (+ article, n = 23) and L1 Korean and Japanese (- article, n = 57) backgrounds, alongside equivalent L1 data. Speakers of article-L1s were more likely than those from article-less L1s to use numeral + classifier noun phrases (NPs) for nonbridging referents and demonstrative + classifier NPs when introducing bridging referents, essentially (and infelicitously) using these constructions as de facto English-like indefinite/definite articles in their L2 Mandarin production. Speakers of article-less languages infelicitously marked bridging relations with nonbridging forms. These findings confirm substantial crosslinguistic difficulties for the L2 marking of this complex syntax-pragmatic phenomenon across relatively underexplored L1/L2 pairs.

Phonological awareness errors mirror underlying phonological representations: Evidence from Hebrew L1 – English L2 adults

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 459-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susie Russak ◽  
Elinor Saiegh-Haddad
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Reading Disability ◽  
First Language ◽  
Phoneme Segmentation ◽  
Phonological Representations ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
English Second Language ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
L1 English ◽  
Insight Into

This article examines the effect of phonological context (singleton vs. clustered consonants) on full phoneme segmentation in Hebrew first language (L1) and in English second language (L2) among typically reading adults (TR) and adults with reading disability (RD) ( n = 30 per group), using quantitative analysis and a fine-grained analysis of errors. In line with earlier findings, overall mean scores revealed significant differences between the two groups. However, no qualitative differences were found. In both groups and languages, full phoneme segmentation overall scores for CVC stimuli were higher than CCVC stimuli. This finding does not align with previous findings, obtained from a phoneme isolation task, showing that isolation from a cohesive CV unit is the most difficult. A fine-grained analysis of errors was conducted to glean insight into this finding. The analysis revealed a preference for creating and preserving CV units in phoneme segmentation in both L1 and L2. This is argued to support the cohesion of the CV unit. The article argues that the effect of language-specific sub-syllabic representations on phonemic analysis may not be always observed in overall scores, yet it is reflected in specific patterns of phonological segmentation errors.

The basic continuity hypothesis of L1 to L2 production

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 275-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Romano
Keyword(s):  
First Language ◽  
Sentence Production ◽  
The Other ◽  
Structural Priming ◽  
Production Task ◽  
Continuity Hypothesis ◽  
Syntactic Representation ◽  
L2 Production ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
L1 English

To what extent can second language (L2) speakers acquire a syntactic representation for an L2 structure absent in the first language (L1)? Findings from L2 structural priming studies are in conflict inasmuch as evidence for and against continuity between L1 and L2 sentence production has been shown. Furthermore, previous investigations have not adequately controlled for well-known animacy effects on choice of syntactic frames. I address the conflict of views in the field via three experiments of structural priming with native, Chinese, and Turkish speakers of English by means of an oral sentence-recall production task. The structure tested, the English genitive alternation, is subject to animacy effects as in the waiter’s photo / the photo of the waiter. Chinese and Turkish have no equivalent to English of genitives nor animacy effects in their genitive structure. Experiment 1 showed priming within-L1 English and found evidence of an animacy effect, albeit only numerical. Likewise, Experiment 2 showed priming within-L2 English and found the L1 Chinese were similarly susceptible to animacy effects. Experiment 3 also showed clear within-L2 English priming in Turkish speakers but the effects of animacy differed from the other groups. I argue the similarities between the native and L2 groups to constitute grounds for a basic continuity in L1 to L2 production.

scholarly journals Polish as L1, English as L2: the linguistic transfer impact on Second Language Acquisition stemming from the interlingual differences: implications for young learners education

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 68-76
Author(s):  
Marta Łockiewicz ◽  
Martyna Jaskulska
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Negative Transfer ◽  
Language Instruction ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Linguistic Transfer ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
Linguistic Backgrounds ◽  
L1 English

Research has shown that learners of different linguistic backgrounds make similar errors, which is due to linguistic transfer. Cross-linguistic similarities between L1 and L2 can result in: positive transfer, negative transfer, and differing lengths of acquisition. The bigger the difference between the languages, the bigger Second Language Acquisition difficulties and more numerous potential negative transfer areas. This effect is visible in the case of Polish as L1 and English as L2. English and Polish differ in terms of pronunciation (e.g. vowel-based vs. consonant-based), spelling (e.g. opaque vs. semi-transparent), grammar (e.g. fixed vs. flexible word order), syntax (e.g. analytic vs. synthetic), and vocabulary. Therefore, second language instruction should include the errors caused by linguistic transfer, which would facilitate the selection and development of effective instruction methods and techniques.68-76

scholarly journals A Contrastive Study on Generic Structure of Introduction to English Chemistry Research Articles: L1 Chinese Student Writers versus L1 English Published Writers

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 112
Author(s):  
Zhigang Yu ◽  
Min Liu
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Engineering ◽  
Chinese Student ◽  
Generic Structure ◽  
Student Writers ◽  
Contrastive Study ◽  
Chemistry Research ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
Teaching Of Writing ◽  
L1 English ◽  
General Organization

<p>Introduction is a significant part-genre of a research article (RA) since it functions to persuade the readership that their research topic has some significance, that there is space for new knowledge around the topic and that the writer can make a contribution to knowledge. Previous studies mainly focused on experienced English L1 and L2 published writers. Masters majoring in Chemical Engineering in China are highly motivated to publish English RAs in international journals due to the requirements for graduation, but to date no work investigates into the disparity between their English RA introductions (ERAIs) and that of high impact SCI journals in terms of generic structure. To fill this gap, drawing on Swales’ CARS model (1990, 2004), this study analyzed the ERAIs written by L1 Chinese masters majoring in chemical engineering and L1 English published writers of the same discipline with a focus on the generic structure. The findings show that the NES published writers employ much more moves than the Chinese student writers, especially Move 1 “establishing a territory” and Move 2 “establishing a niche”. Due to the lack of Move 2, the completeness of the general organization of ERAIs written by the Chinese student writers is much weaker than the NES published writers. From the perspective of the constituent steps, the findings show that the lack of Move 1-Step 3 causes the overall insufficiency of Move 1 in the student writer group (SWG) compared with the published writer group (PWG) and the inadequate Step 1A “indicating a gap” leads to the overall deficiency of Move 2 in SWG. In Move 3, Step 1 is most frequently used in both groups. Although Step 5 and Step 6 are employed in this move but their frequency is low and quite similar to each other in these two groups. The findings have some pedagogical implication on the teaching of writing ERAIs.</p>

scholarly journals Effects of Cognate Status on Word Comprehension in Second Language Learners: An ERP Investigation

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. 1634-1647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine J. Midgley ◽  
Phillip J. Holcomb ◽  
Jonathan Grainger
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Word Recognition ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Word Comprehension ◽  
N400 Component ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
English Students ◽  
L1 English

ERPs were used to explore the different patterns of processing of cognate and noncognate words in the first (L1) and second (L2) language of a population of second language learners. L1 English students of French were presented with blocked lists of L1 and L2 words, and ERPs to cognates and noncognates were compared within each language block. For both languages, cognates had smaller amplitudes in the N400 component when compared with noncognates. L1 items that were cognates showed early differences in amplitude in the N400 epoch when compared with noncognates. L2 items showed later differences between cognates and noncognates than L1 items. The results are discussed in terms of how cognate status affects word recognition in second language learners.

AAVE/creole copula absence

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Devyani Sharma ◽  
John R. Rickford
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
General Tendency ◽  
Indian English ◽  
African Languages ◽  
Vernacular English ◽  
Statistical Measures ◽  
Creole English

This study confirms the robustness of the finding in the literature on African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and creole English (especially in the Caribbean) that omission of copular and auxiliary be varies systematically according to predicate type. Verbal predicates are associated with the highest rates of copula absence and following NPs with the lowest rates; following adjectives or locatives show intermediate rates (see Rickford 1998:190). Although this pattern is highly consistent, convincing explanations for it remain elusive. A recurrent suggestion (McWhorter 2000; Winford 1998, 2004; Wolfram 2000) is that the AAVE and creole English pattern is inherited independently from general processes of imperfect second language learning (simplification, generalization) that operated as the African ancestors of today’s speakers acquired English. In this paper, we pursue this possibility, but discover that the grammatical conditioning of copula absence in AAVE and creole varieties is distinct from the patterns found in second language learning data. We examine four sets of data on English acquired as a second language (Indian English, South African Indian English, Singaporean English, Spanish English) and show, using two statistical measures, that conditioning of copula absence in the second language data does not resemble the AAVE and creole pattern. (One possible exception is the high rates of omitted be with verbal predicates, for which we explore possible explanations.) We show further that typological diversity in copula systems also militates against a universal markedness-based pattern. The findings reduce the possibility that the overall AAVE/creole pattern derives from a general tendency in second language acquisition and increase the possibility that the pattern reflects a shared substrate influence from West African languages or other historical contact factors.

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