Investigating Linguistic Knowledge of a Second Language

AbstractIn this essay I understand school grammar as academic grammar for future teachers. It aims at linguistic awareness, not linguistic knowledge, which is an essential common ground with grammar lessons at school. It is about exciting insights into the structure of language.In the first section, the discourse on school grammar is examined. I will put a focus on the cultivated negative image of school grammar in history and then contrast it with practical expectations of use. Thereafter the essential linguistic foundations are outlined, which have been neglected in school grammar for far too long, being afraid of linguistic theory: valency and constituency. Afterwards, the area of tension between first and second language in terms of school grammar will be explored. Finally, I sketch school grammar as a basis for error correction and evaluation.

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Do second language learners acquire restrictive relative clauses on the basis of relational or configurational information? The acquisition of French subject, direct object and genitive restrictive relative clauses by second language learners

Interlanguage studies bulletin (Utrecht) ◽

10.1177/026765838900500204 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 156-188 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Roger Hawkins

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Second Language Acquisition ◽

Language Learning ◽

Language Learners ◽

Relative Clauses ◽

Second Language Learners ◽

Linguistic Knowledge ◽

Linear Ordering ◽

Restrictive Relative Clauses ◽

The Way

Much of the work on the second language acquisition of restrictive relative clauses has made reference to the similarities between learners' order of diffi culty and Keenan and Comrie's (1977) typologically determined noun phrase accessibility hierarchy for relativisation (AH). There has been little considera tion, however, of whether this 'theory of markedness' (for that is the implica tion of citing the AH in the context of second language learning) actually determines the way that second language learners develop rules for restrictive relative clauses. The present study examines the way that learners of L2 French construct rules for French relativiser morphology from this perspective. It is found that there is no evidence to support the view that learners make use of a theory of markedness like the AH in constructing such rules. Rather, learners appear to construct rules on the basis of the linear ordering of the constituents of restrictive relative clauses in surface configurations. From the evidence it is suggested that 'markedness' in the development of L2 restrictive relative clauses is not a feature of the grammatical component of learners' linguistic knowledge, but is a feature of their L2 processing capacity.

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Testing the Noticing Function of the Output Hypothesis

English Language Teaching ◽

10.5539/elt.v9n2p136 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 136 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sumayyah Qaed Alsulami

Keyword(s):

Original Writing ◽

Second Language ◽

Second Language Acquisition ◽

Language Acquisition ◽

Writing Skills ◽

Language Learner ◽

Linguistic Knowledge ◽

Second Language Learner ◽

Comprehensible Input ◽

Stage 1

<p>In spite of Krashen’s (1985) claims that the only way to acquire a second language is through non-stressful comprehensible input, Swain (1995, 1998, 2005) and others propose that the production of language (speaking or writing), under certain circumstances, is a significant part of the second-language acquisition process. Swain also states that there are three functions of output, and one of these is the noticing or triggering function, in which through producing output, learners become aware of their linguistic knowledge. This study examines the role and effectiveness of output – in particular, the noticing function of language output – in developing the writing skills of an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) student from Saudi Arabia. The notice function enables the student to identify lexis and grammar problems in his writing. Data collection for the study was conducted in three stages: In Stage 1 the participant, who studies English at Latrobe Language Centre in Level 4A, wrote three paragraphs in response to illustrated questions. In Stage 2, the participant compared his original writing to model paragraph feedback tools. In Stage 3, the student rewrote his original paragraphs based on what he noticed in Stages 1 and 2. This methodology demonstrated the aspects of language that a second-language learner noticed while forming a paragraph on his own. It also illustrated what the participant noticed when he compared his writing to a model and what changes he made to his writing, as a result. It pushed the learner to create a modified output, leading to development of his writing skills in second-language acquisition.</p>

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Predictors Revised: Linguistic Knowledge and Metalinguistic Awareness in Second Language Gain in Russian

Modern Language Journal ◽

10.1111/j.1540-4781.2006.00428.x ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 90 (4) ◽

pp. 496-505 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

EWA M. GOLONKA

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Linguistic Knowledge ◽

Metalinguistic Awareness

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Cognitive Theory of Markedness and Native Language Transfer

International Research in Education ◽

10.5296/ire.v4i1.9145 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 86

Author(s):

Liang Deng

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Second Language Acquisition ◽

Language Acquisition ◽

Cognitive Theory ◽

Native Language ◽

Target Language ◽

Language Transfer ◽

Linguistic Knowledge

<p>In the process of second language acquisition (SLA), such phenomena as some linguistic knowledge in the target language is much easier to acquire than others in SLA and some linguistic knowledge in native language is apt to be transferred are prevailing. To account for these phenomena, markedness theory is introduced and attempts to provide a plausible explanation. In particular, cognitive theory of markedness, or rather, prototypicality has proven to be effective and powerful in predicting the transferability of native language. This paper tries to offer a brief introduction of markedness theory and its recent development, prototypicality and conduct a review on related achievements gained in the studies of native language transfer in SLA. At the same time, shortcomings of current researches as well as prospect of future researches in this field will be pointed out.</p>

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The Role of Linguistic Knowledge in Second Language Use

Studies in Second Language Acquisition ◽

10.1017/s0272263100004265 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 31-45 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Ellen Bialystok

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Language Use ◽

Linguistic Knowledge

The purpose of the present paper is to examine the hypothesis that there are fundamental differences between using language in different situations or for different purposes, and that these differences may be accounted for in terms of the requirement of the task to be solved on the basis of knowledge represented in a particular way.

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Second-language Instinct and Instruction Effects: Nature and Nurture in Second-language Acquisition

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience ◽

10.1162/jocn.2011.21607 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 23 (10) ◽

pp. 2716-2730 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Noriaki Yusa ◽

Masatoshi Koizumi ◽

Jungho Kim ◽

Naoki Kimura ◽

Shinya Uchida ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Second Language Acquisition ◽

Neural Plasticity ◽

Linguistic Knowledge ◽

Broca’S Area ◽

Broca's Area ◽

L2 Acquisition ◽

Complex Sentences ◽

Universal Principles ◽

Nature And Nurture

Adults seem to have greater difficulties than children in acquiring a second language (L2) because of the alleged “window of opportunity” around puberty. Postpuberty Japanese participants learned a new English rule with simplex sentences during one month of instruction, and then they were tested on “uninstructed complex sentences” as well as “instructed simplex sentences.” The behavioral data show that they can acquire more knowledge than is instructed, suggesting the interweaving of nature (universal principles of grammar, UG) and nurture (instruction) in L2 acquisition. The comparison in the “uninstructed complex sentences” between post-instruction and pre-instruction using functional magnetic resonance imaging reveals a significant activation in Broca's area. Thus, this study provides new insight into Broca's area, where nature and nurture cooperate to produce L2 learners' rich linguistic knowledge. It also shows neural plasticity of adult L2 acquisition, arguing against a critical period hypothesis, at least in the domain of UG.

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Second language acquisition and first language loss in adult early bilinguals: exploring some differences and similarities

Second language Research ◽

10.1191/0267658305sr247oa ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 21 (3) ◽

pp. 199-249 ◽

Cited By ~ 78

Author(s):

Silvina Montrul

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Second Language Acquisition ◽

Language Proficiency ◽

First Language ◽

Target Language ◽

Linguistic Knowledge ◽

Heritage Speakers ◽

L2 Learners ◽

The Usa ◽

English Dominant

This study compares the linguistic knowledge of adult second language (L2) learners, who learned the L2 after puberty, with the potentially ‘eroded’ first language (L1) grammars of adult early bilinguals who were exposed to the target language since birth and learned the other language simultaneously, or early in childhood (before age 5). I make two main claims: (1) that the L1 grammar of bilinguals at a given stabilized state (probably endstate) resembles the incomplete (either developing or stabilized) grammars typical of intermediate and advanced stages in L2 acquisition; and (2) that despite similar patterns of performance, when language proficiency is factored in, early bilinguals are better than the L2 learners, probably due to exposure to primary linguistic input early in childhood. I offer empirical evidence from an experimental study testing knowledge of the syntax and semantics of unaccusativity in Spanish, conducted with English-speaking L2 learners and English-dominant Spanish heritage speakers living in the USA. I consider recent treatments of unaccusativity and language attrition within the generative framework (Sorace, 1999; 2000a; 2000b), that offer a unifying account of the formal parallels observed between these two populations I discuss how input, use and age may explain differences and similarities in the linguistic attainment of the two groups.

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The epistemological status of second language acquisition

Interlanguage studies bulletin (Utrecht) ◽

10.1177/026765838600200202 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 120-159 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Bonnie D. Schwartz

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Second Language Acquisition ◽

Language Acquisition ◽

Linguistic Theory ◽

Linguistic Knowledge ◽

Philosophical Debate ◽

Language Research ◽

Epistemological Status ◽

Generative Approach ◽

Epistemological Basis

In this paper I argue for the necessity of recognizing the epistemological basis of language (and hence of linguistic theory) for research in and theories of second language acquisition. In particular, I review the arguments for a generative approach to linguistic theory (e.g. Chomsky, 1965, 1975, 1981) and for why language as a system of knowledge must be distinct from other sorts of know ledge (Fodor, 1983), with the purpose of clarifying many misconceptions that seem to have arisen with respect to the work in generative grammar over the last 20 years. After doing this I argue that the null hypothesis for second language acquisition is, as concerns its mental representation of linguistic knowledge, that its epistemological status should be assumed to be the same as that of L 1 until proven otherwise. I then demonstrate how SLA theory (e.g. Krashen, 1981) can be elucidated by subsuming (parts of) L2 under linguistic theory with its firm epistemological basis, and how, in particular, one could empirically test Krashen's theory as well as any other theory of SLA that assumes L 1 and L2 to be epistemologically equivalent. In addition I discuss the need for researchers to consider the special epistemological status of linguistic knowledge before prescribing L2 pedagogy. In sum this is a paper that takes a step back into the philosophical debate concerning the mental status of language in general in order for us to be able to take a step forward in second language research in particular.

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