Individual differences in child English second language acquisition

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 213-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanne Paradis
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
External Factors ◽  
Vocabulary Size ◽  
Internal Factors ◽  
Verb Morphology ◽  
English Second Language ◽  
Theory Of Language ◽  
Analytic Reasoning

This study investigated how various child-internal and child-external factors predict English L2 children’s acquisition outcomes for vocabulary size and accuracy with verb morphology. The children who participated (N=169) were between 4;10 and 7;0 years old (mean = 5;10), had between 3 to 62 months of exposure to English (mean = 20 months), and were from newcomer families to Canada. Results showed that factors such as language aptitude (phonological short term memory and analytic reasoning), age, L1 typology, length of exposure to English, and richness of the child’s English environment were significant predictors of variation in children’s L2 outcomes. However, on balance, child-internal factors explained more of the variance in outcomes than child-external factors. Relevance of these findings for Usage-Based theory of language acquisition is discussed.

Exploring the upper limits of the Aspect Hypothesis

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 256-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Vraciu
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Picture Book ◽  
Advanced Learners ◽  
Verb Morphology ◽  
Aspect Hypothesis ◽  
Upper Limits ◽  
Distributional Patterns ◽  
L2 Development

This paper explores coalitions between tense-aspect morphology and the aspectual class of predicates in second language acquisition (the Aspect Hypothesis) on the basis of 36 oral narratives elicited with a picture book from French L1 adult learners of English. The observed distributional patterns are analysed in relation to the prototypical inflection/predicate coalitions observed both at early stages of L2 development and in English L1. While advanced learners are expected to make a productive use of tense-aspect morphology within all predicate classes, our data indicate that the prototypical coalition between the progressive form and activity predicates remains strong until very proficient stages of English L2, when the distribution of verb morphology within this class eventually becomes more flexible and activities as a class are predominantly encoded in the non-progressive present or past form. Non-grammaticalisation of the progressive in the learners’ L1 may interfere with the predictions of the Aspect Hypothesis for this form in English L2.

LANGUAGE CREATION AND LANGUAGE CHANGE: CREOLIZATION, DIACHRONY, AND DEVELOPMENT. Michel DeGraff (Ed.). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1999. Pp. 586. $65.00 cloth.

2002 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-125
Author(s):  
J. Clancy Clements
Keyword(s):  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Natural Language ◽  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Language Change ◽  
External Factors ◽  
Formal Structure ◽  
Internal Factors ◽  
Narrow Definition ◽  
The Right ◽  
Underlying Theme

Editor Michel DeGraff provides us with a thought-provoking collection of studies that address topics involving language acquisition, creole formation, language change, and the connections between the three phenomena. One of the main goals of the volume is to arrive at a better understanding of the interaction between the “extraordinary external factors” surrounding the formation of pidgins and creoles and the “ordinary internal factors” involving U(niversal) G(rammar)–constrained language invention (p. 11), a UG-type repackaging of Thomason's ordinary-processes–extraordinary-results take on language mixture. The underlying theme DeGraff uses to connect the varied contributions is, in fact, UG: “This volume is seeking the right ‘version of universalist influence interpreted as constraints on the formal structure of creoles, in fact of natural language'” (p. 17). In characterizing the processes of pidginization and creolization, DeGraff chooses a narrow definition, that of the plantation situation (p. 2), thus disregarding interethnic pidgins and creoles (e.g., Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin in Papua New Guinea) and fort creoles (e.g., many of the Portuguese-based creoles). Although DeGraff does not point this out, he does mention other biases of the book: (a) it focuses only on morphosyntax from a generative UG-like focus; (b) it largely neglects variationist and quantitative approaches; (c) it does not explore the connection between UG and all-purpose cognitive structures (except Newport; see below); and (d) it considers only a subset of creoles that emerged from contact with European colonizers.

A Literature Review on Individual Differences in Second Language Acquisition

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 72
Author(s):  
Yilun Yang ◽  
Liping Chen
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Internal Factors ◽  
Language Universals ◽  
Cognition And Learning ◽  
The Relationship

There are many factors influencing second language acquisition, such as learner external factors including social factors, the input of second language acquisition and the relationship between acquisition; internal factors including the transfer of language, cognition of second language and language universals, etc, which influence the psychological factors of learner's second language; individual differences include some factors in physiological emotion, cognition, and learning strategies. This article is to explore the role of learners in second language acquisition from the perspective of individual differences (age, aptitude, learning motivation).

Bilingual first language acquisition at the interface between syntax and pragmatics

2000 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aafke Hulk ◽  
Natascha Müller
Keyword(s):  
Language Acquisition ◽  
First Language ◽  
External Factors ◽  
The Other ◽  
Bilingual Children ◽  
First Language Acquisition ◽  
Internal Factors ◽  
Surface Level ◽  
Language Dominance ◽  
Starting Point

This paper has as its starting point the assumption that in acquiring two languages from birth, bilingual children separate their grammars from very early on. This does not, however, exclude cross-linguistic influence – the possible influence of one language on the other. The main focus of the paper is on the acquisition of syntax in a generative framework. We argue that cross-linguistic influence can occur if (1) an interface level between two modules of grammar is involved, and (2) the two languages overlap at the surface level. We show that both conditions hold for object drop, but not for root infinitives. Root infinitives satisfy the first condition: they involve the interface between syntax and pragmatics. However, they do not satisfy the second condition. Therefore, we expect cross-linguistic influence to occur only in the domain of object drop and not in the domain of root infinitives. Comparing the development of the two phenomena in a bilingual Dutch–French and a German–Italian child to the development in monolingual children, we show that this prediction is borne out by our data. Moreover, this confirms the hypothesis that cross-linguistic influence is due to language internal factors and not to language external factors such as language dominance: the periods during which we observe influence in the domain of object drop and non-influence in the domain of root infinitives are identical.

Noticing in second language acquisition: a critical review

1998 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Truscott
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Cognitive Psychology ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Critical Review ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Theory Of Language ◽  
Indirect Tests ◽  
Metalinguistic Knowledge

This article examines the Noticing Hypothesis – the claim that second language learners must consciously notice the grammatical form of their input in order to acquire grammar. I argue, first, that the foundations of the hypothesis in cognitive psychology are weak; research in this area does not support it, or even provide a clear interpretation for it. The problem of interpreting the hypothesis is much more acute in the area of language acquisition. Partly because the hypothesis is not based on any coherent theory of language, it is very difficult to determine exactly what it means in this context,or to draw testable predictions from it.In the absence of specific predictions, research on form-focused instruction and feedback provide indirect tests, the results of which create additional problems for the hypothesis. The various problems can be eliminated or greatly reduced if the Noticing Hypothesis is reformulated as a claim that noticing is necessary for the acquisition of metalinguistic knowledge but not competence.

scholarly journals The Vowels of Qassimi Dialect

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 91
Author(s):  
Lubna Sulaiman Al-Numair
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Acoustic Analysis ◽  
Theoretical Description ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
English Second Language ◽  
English Vowels ◽  
Characteristic Features ◽  
Arabic And English ◽  
Vowel Phoneme

This paper describes the vowels of the Qassimi dialect and explores the characteristic features of those vowels. To achieve this goal, the researcher has compiled a list of Qassimi words. Each word represents a major allophone of each vowel phoneme. These words were then repeated by Qassimi female speakers from Buraidah and recorded by the researcher. The data was subjected to acoustic analysis, and the results were compared to the acoustic results of English vowels. The analysis showed many similarities in the characteristics of both Qassimi and English vowels. However, it also showed some significant differences that distinguish the vowel system of Qassimi from the English vowel system as well as other Saudi dialects. This study sheds light on those differences, however it is left to future studies to investigate further and possibly compare other aspects of these dialects. This study contributes to the theoretical description of Saudi dialects, an area that needs many more contributions. In addition, this paper could be a part of the contrastive studies of Arabic and English, second language acquisition studies, or various other applied studies.

scholarly journals STUDENTS’ PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS IN SLA: A DILLEMA FOR TEACHERS OF ENGLISH

2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Langgeng Budianto
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Psychological Factors ◽  
Positive Thinking ◽  
Internal Factors ◽  
Psychological Conditions ◽  
School Condition ◽  
Preparation Strategy

This paper aims at describing psychological factors in language acquisition and learning for human being who learn second language acquisition. Stephens found that external factors such as the characteristic of teacher, class and school condition had consistently no relation with the success of learning foreign language. On the other hand, student’s psychological conditions, as one of the internal factors, are potential to influence the foreign or second language acquisition. Psychological factor is a factor that is mentally or spiritually concerned with the aspects in students’ acquisition. At least, four of many factors, such as anxiety, attitude, aptitude, and motivation influence the students’ process of language acquisition. However, to cope the psychological problems of learning second language, Kando, D. suggests the five strategies for coping with language anxiety, among of them are preparation strategy, relaxation, positive thinking, peer, and labeled resignation. Therefore, in maximizing the result of second language acquisition, the five strategies illustrated by Kando are important as an alternative solution.

scholarly journals Formulaic Language Acquisition and Production: Implications for Teaching

2002 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 01 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Wood
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Production ◽  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
Formulaic Language ◽  
Term Memory ◽  
Controlled Processing ◽  
The Subject

Formulaic language units, ready-made chunks and sequences of words, have been the subject of a large and growing body of research. Although formulaic language has been largely overlooked in favor of models of language that center around the rule-governed, systematic nature of language and its use, there is increasing evidence that these multiword lexical units are integral to first- and second-language acquisition, as they are segmented from input and stored as wholes in long-term memory. They are fundamental to fluent language production, as they allow language production to occur while bypassing controlled processing and the constraints of short-term memory capacity. This article defines and describes formulaic language units and surveys the research evidence of their role in language acquisition and production. The implications of this knowledge for classroom teaching are considered, with particular emphasis on attending to input and fostering interaction to facilitate the acquisition of a repertoire of formulaic language.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document