Chapter 7. L1 effects in the L2 acquisition of long-distance binding in European Portuguese

2021 ◽  
pp. 174-202
Author(s):  
Alexandra Fiéis ◽  
Ana Madeira
Keyword(s):  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
European Portuguese

Anomaly detection in the processing of complex syntax by early L2 learners

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur Stepanov ◽  
Sara Andreetta ◽  
Penka Stateva ◽  
Adam Zawiszewski ◽  
Itziar Laka
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Early Age ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Advanced Learners ◽  
Complex Syntax ◽  
L2 Learners ◽  
Syntactic Dependencies ◽  
Syntactic Islands ◽  
L1 And L2

This study investigates the processing of long-distance syntactic dependencies by native speakers of Slovenian (L1) who are advanced learners of Italian as a second language (L2), compared with monolingual Italian speakers. Using a self-paced reading task, we compare sensitivity of the early-acquired L2 learners to syntactic anomalies in their L2 in two empirical domains: (1) syntactic islands, for which the learners’ L1 and L2 grammars provide a converging characterization, and (2) verb–clitic constructions, for which the respective L1 and L2 grammatical descriptions diverge. We find that although our L2 learners show native-like processing patterns in the former, converging, grammatical domain, they may nevertheless perform non-native-like with respect to syntactic phenomena in which the L1 and L2 grammars do not align, despite the early age of L2 acquisition. Implications for theories of L2 acquisition and endstate are discussed.

scholarly journals Interpretação de pronomes em português L2: efeitos de transferência?

2018 ◽  
pp. 83-97
Author(s):  
Alexandra Fiéis ◽  
Ana Madeira
Keyword(s):  
Transfer Effects ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Developmental Effect ◽  
Proficiency Levels ◽  
European Portuguese ◽  
Reflexive Pronouns ◽  
L2 Learners ◽  
Full Knowledge ◽  
Truth Value ◽  
Value Judgement

This study investigates how knowledge of the interpretative properties of strong object pronouns develops in L2 European Portuguese. We focus on the anaphor si, which, in biclausal domains, may take either a local or a long-distance antecedent. Previous studies have shown that L2 learners show delays in the acquisition of non-reflexive pronouns in monoclausal domains (Kim et al 2014), but not of anaphors; however, knowledge of the locality constraints on anaphors in biclausal sentences has been shown to exhibit transfer effects and develop late (Domínguez et al 2012). In this study we investigate whether the learners’ L1 influences the development of the interpretative properties of pronouns by considering two groups of learners whose L1s differ regarding long-distance binding: Spanish, where it is disallowed (Otero 1999), and Italian, where, according to Napoli (1979), it is allowed. Moreover, we investigate whether learners attain full knowledge of these properties, and, if so, whether development of this knowledge is delayed, by comparing learners at different proficiency levels (intermediate and advanced). Results of two truth-value judgement tasks indicate the presence of L1 effects in learners’ interpretation of non-reflexive pronouns, but not of si in biclausal contexts, where a local interpretation is preferred over a long-distance one. Moreover, a comparison between the intermediate and the advanced groups reveals a developmental effect in the Spanish group (but not in the Italian group), indicating that the interpretative properties of si may be fully acquired, albeit subject to delays.

scholarly journals A aquisição de sujeitos nulos em português L2 (The acquisition of null subjects in L2 portuguese)

2009 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Madeira ◽  
Maria Francisca Xavier ◽  
Maria de Lourdes Crispim
Keyword(s):  
Native Language ◽  
Production Data ◽  
Null Subjects ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Null Subject ◽  
De Re ◽  
European Portuguese ◽  
Null Subject Parameter ◽  
Different Levels

Este estudo visa investigar a aquisição, em português europeu como segunda língua (L2), de propriedades morfo-sintácticas associadas ao valor positivo do parâmetro do sujeito nulo, por um lado, e, por outro lado, de propriedades pragmático-discursivas que determinam a distribuição de sujeitos nulos e expressos, procurando, simultaneamente, estabelecer o papel da língua materna (L1) dos aprendentes na aquisição destas propriedades. O estudo assenta em dados de produção e de juízos de preferência, de aprendentes de português L2 com diferentes níveis de proficiência. Os resultados indicam aquisição das propriedades morfo-sintácticas, o que constitui evidência de (re)fixação paramétrica, observando-se algumas assimetrias entre falantes de diferentes L1s relativamente ao ritmo de desenvolvimento destas propriedades. Quanto às condições pragmático-discursivas, conclui-se que a sua aquisição é problemática, particularmente para falantes de línguas de sujeito obrigatório.PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Aquisição. Concordância. Segunda língua. Sujeito nulo. Transferência. ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate the L2 acquisition, by learners of L2 European Portuguese at different levels of proficiency, of the morphosyntactic properties associated with a positive value of the null subject parameter, as well as of the discourse-pragmatic properties which determine the distribution of null and overt subjects, whilst simultaneously seeking to establish the role of the learners’ native language in the acquisition of these properties. The study is based on production data and on data obtained from a preference judgement task. The results indicate that the morphosyntactic properties are acquired early, which constitutes evidence of parametric (re)setting, although some differences are observed between speakers of different L1s regarding the pace of development of these properties. As for the discourse-pragmatic properties, their acquisition is shown to be difficult, particularly for speakers of non-null subject languages.KEYWORDS: Acquisition. Agreement. Second language. Null subject. Transfer.  

scholarly journals Divergência seletiva no estádio final de aquisição de L2: Dados sobre a construção com there em inglês

2018 ◽  
pp. 254-275
Author(s):  
Joana Teixeira
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Syntactic Priming ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Priming Task ◽  
European Portuguese ◽  
Input Hypothesis ◽  
Interface Hypothesis ◽  
Intransitive Verbs ◽  
Discourse Interface ◽  
Drag And Drop

This study investigates the acquisition of there-constructions (with verbs other than be) in L2 English by native speakers of European Portuguese (EP) and French. Its main purpose is to test two opposing hypotheses on the end-state of L2 acquisition at the interfaces: the Interface Hypothesis (IH) and the L1+input Hypothesis (LIH). The former proposes that internal interfaces are, generally, unproblematic at the end-state of L2 acquisition, whereas external interfaces, like the syntax-discourse interface, are areas of permanent optionality due to processing inefficiencies associated with bilingualism. The latter, in contrast, advocates that structures at external interfaces generate problems at a near-native level iff their properties are different in the L1 and the L2 and they are infrequent in the input. By administering 2 untimed drag and drop tasks, 3 speeded acceptability judgement tasks and 1 syntactic priming task to a total of 80 participants, we tested the types of overt expletives, the types of intransitive verbs and the types of discourse contexts compatible with thereconstructions in advanced and near-native English. The results confirm the IH, but suggest that the LIH is not completely wrong.

Interpretation of English reflexives by adolescent speakers of Serbo-Croatian

1994 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Sentence Comprehension ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Universal Grammar ◽  
Task Type ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
L1 Transfer ◽  
Multiple Choice Questionnaire

This article addresses the question of L1 transfer in L2 acquisition of reflexive binding. It incorporates recent research on Binding Theory which focuses on the relationship between morphological complexity of anaphors and the occurrence of long-distance binding of reflexives (cf. Yang, 1983; Pica, 1987; Hellan, 1988; Battistella, 1989; Huang and Tang, 1989; Cole et al., 1990; Progovac, 1992). Reflexives typically fall into two categories: simple (X0) reflexives that may take long-distance antecedents and complex (XP) refle xives that may not. Acquisition of the English binding pattern by native speakers of Serbo-Croatian requires recognition of the morphological com plexity of English reflexives. Prior to reanalysis, learners are predicted to transfer the L1 X0anaphor type and incorrectly assign long-distance antece dents to English XP reflexives.The interpretation of English reflexives by native speakers of Serbo- Croatian was investigated using two types of written sentence comprehension tasks. A picture identification task and a multiple-choice questionnaire were administered to intermediate ( n = 20) and advanced (n = 20) L2 learners and a group of English native speaker controls (n = 20). Results consistent across task type support the transfer hypothesis and suggest learners have access to Universal Grammar in second language acquisition.

Zibun and locality in L2 Japanese

2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Noriko Yoshimura ◽  
Mineharu Nakayama ◽  
Tomohiko Shirahata ◽  
Koichi Sawasaki ◽  
Yasushi Terao
Keyword(s):  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Universal Grammar ◽  
Judgment Task ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Value Judgment ◽  
Interface Theory ◽  
Parameter Resetting

AbstractSecond language learners encounter difficulty in interpreting the anaphoric relationship between a reflexive pronoun and its antecedent because they often fail to reset their parameter appropriately. However, the recent interface theory has called this parameter conversion approach into question, in particular, whether L2 learners do indeed reset their language parameter during the course of L2 acquisition. This paper explores this issue by conducting an experiment with a truth-value judgment task on the interpretations of zibun among English and Chinese speaking adult learners of Japanese. The results support our hypothesis that the short-distance interpretation of zibun can be acquired early if “locality” is the core notion of human cognition, as assumed in Universal Grammar, whereas long distance interpretation takes time to acquire because of the syntax-pragmatics interface. We emphasize that the parameter resetting approach cannot provide a plausible account for this “short vs. long” asymmetry in the acquisition of zibun binding.

scholarly journals Será a interface sintaxe-discurso necessariamente um locus de opcionalidade em L2? O caso da inversão locativa em inglês L2

2017 ◽  
pp. 347-386
Author(s):  
Joana Teixeira
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Contextual Information ◽  
The Other ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Intransitive Verb ◽  
Priming Task ◽  
European Portuguese ◽  
The One ◽  
Locative Inversion

This study investigates the acquisition of locative inversion in L1 European Portuguese (EP) – L2 English and L1 French – L2 English. Its purpose is to test two opposing hypotheses on the end-state of L2 acquisition at the syntaxdiscourse interface: the Interface Hypothesis (IH) and the L1+input Hypothesis (LIH). The former proposes that the syntax-discourse/pragmatics interface is a locus of residual, but permanent, optionality, because L2 speakers are less than optimally efficient at integrating syntactic and contextual information in real-time language use as a by-product of bilingualism. The latter, in contrast, sustains that structures at this interface generate problems at highly advanced levels of proficiency iff their properties are different in the L1 and the L2 and the evidence available in the input is not transparent (e.g., because the structure is rare). By administering 2 untimed drag and drop tasks, 2 speeded acceptability judgement tasks and 1 syntactic priming task to a total of 80 participants, we tested, on the one hand, the type of intransitive verb allowed in locative inversion and, on the other, the type of discourse context in which this inversion is admitted. The results disconfirm the LIH and confirm (most of) the IH’s predictions.

scholarly journals Divergência seletiva no estádio final de aquisição de L2: Dados sobre a construção com there em inglês

2019 ◽  
pp. 254-275
Author(s):  
Joana Teixeira
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Syntactic Priming ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Priming Task ◽  
European Portuguese ◽  
Input Hypothesis ◽  
Interface Hypothesis ◽  
Intransitive Verbs ◽  
Discourse Interface ◽  
Drag And Drop

This study investigates the acquisition of there-constructions (with verbs other than be) in L2 English by native speakers of European Portuguese (EP) and French. Its main purpose is to test two opposing hypotheses on the end-state of L2 acquisition at the interfaces: the Interface Hypothesis (IH) and the L1+input Hypothesis (LIH). The former proposes that internal interfaces are, generally, unproblematic at the end-state of L2 acquisition, whereas external interfaces, like the syntax-discourse interface, are areas of permanent optionality due to processing inefficiencies associated with bilingualism. The latter, in contrast, advocates that structures at external interfaces generate problems at a near-native level iff their properties are different in the L1 and the L2 and they are infrequent in the input. By administering 2 untimed drag and drop tasks, 3 speeded acceptability judgement tasks and 1 syntactic priming task to a total of 80 participants, we tested the types of overt expletives, the types of intransitive verbs and the types of discourse contexts compatible with thereconstructions in advanced and near-native English. The results confirm the IH, but suggest that the LIH is not completely wrong.

Shallow processing: a consequence of bilingualism or second language learning?

2006 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-56
Author(s):  
Susanne E. Carroll
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Semantic Representation ◽  
First Language ◽  
L2 Acquisition ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
L2 Learners ◽  
Shallow Structure Hypothesis ◽  
The One

Clahsen and Felser (CF) review ground-breaking work comparing selected types of language processing in monolingual children and adults, on the one hand, and in monolingual first language (L1) adults and adult second language (L2) learners, on the other. They argue that children behave essentially like adults, but that adult L2 learners, even high-proficiency ones, do not. Thus, there is a principled difference to be made among types of learners; there is continuity of mechanism and process to be observed in monolingual development but L2 acquisition exhibits certain fundamental differences. In particular, L2 learners construct shallow syntactic structures (essentially failing to compute trace chains) when processing long-distance filler-gap dependencies. According to the shallow structure hypothesis (SSH), learners immediately interpret incoming words in a minimal semantic representation by assigning thematic roles to argument expressions and associating modifiers to their hosts. They are not mapping detailed and complete syntactic representations onto semantic representations.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document