Second Language Acquisition Semester 1, 2005

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Second Language Acquisition Semester 1, 2005

• Course Introduction
• Week 1

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Why study second language acquisition?

• Bi- and multi- lingualism is the norm in the
  world.
• SLA research informs theory and practice in L2
  teaching and learning.
• SLA serves as a testing ground for theories of
  language cognition.

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Scope of SLA research

• Goal of SLA research Understand how 2nd (3rd,
  4th, etc) languages are learned and used.
• What does a theory of SLA theory have to account
  for?
• Process the learner and learning, and the
  teacher and teaching
• Setting naturalistic versus formal, 'second'
  versus 'foreign' language
• Individual differences among learners age,
  aptitude, motivation, anxiety, etc.
• L1 influence

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SLA and related fields.

• Linguistics
• Cognitive psychology (psycholinguistics)
• Language teaching
• Cross-cultural communication
• Language planning/language policy

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General issues in language learning research (L1
or L2)

• To what extent is language 'acquired' or
  'learned'?
• What is being acquired?
• How do we know when and if it is acquired?
• How do we explain it?

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What is being acquired?

• Phonology the sound system
• Syntax
• Morphology the lexicon
• Semantics
• Pragmatics

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Phonology the sound system

• Sound inventory
• phonemes p b
• Sound combinations
• phonotactics bubu boggle vlurk
• Real-time processes
• Didja hear the story about.?

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Syntax (grammar)

• Prescriptive descriptive grammar
• Tom met Mary gtgtgt Mary was met by Tom.
• Who did Mary believe saw Toms belief?

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Morphology the lexicon

• Word formation
• Free and bound morphemes.
• Inflectional changes
• calculate gtgt calculated, calculating
• Derivational changes
• calculate gtgt calculator

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Semantics the study of meaning.

• Referential meaning
• Fuzzy nature of meaning
• Structural aspects of meaning

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Pragmatics knowledge of how to use the language
in social interactions.

• Implicatures Theres a book on the floor..
• Speech acts
• directives beg, command request
• commissives promise, guarantee
• declarations marrying, resigning,
  christening

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Yes or No?

• A. Any normal child can learn any language with
  equal ease.
• B. Learning a second language is a matter of
  learning a new set of habits.
• C. The only reason that some people cannot learn
  a second or foreign language is that they are
  insufficiently motivated.
• D. All children can learn a second language
  accent free.
• E. All human beings have an innate capacity to
  learn language.
• F. Vocabulary is the most important part of
  learning a second language.
• G. Vocabulary is the most difficult part of
  learning a second language
• H. Language instruction is a waste of time.
• I. Learning a second language takes no more time
  than learning a first.

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Interlanguage

• The systematic knowledge of the L2, particularly
  structural rules, which underlies L2
  comprehension and production.

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Assumptions about interlanguage (1)

• The learner constructs the interlanguage grammar.

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Assumptions about interlanguage (2)

• The learner's grammar is permeable. It is
  influenced by external input and by internal
  processes like transfer from the L1 and
  overgeneralisation.

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Assumptions about interlanguage (3)

• The learner's grammar is transitional. Learners
  change, add and delete rules over the course of
  development.

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Assumptions about interlanguage (4)

• A learner employs various learning strategies to
  develop his or her interlanguage. These
  strategies processes like simplification and
  (over) regularization.

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Assumptions about interlanguage (5)

• The learner's grammar may fossilise.
  Fossilisation occurs when a learner stops
  learning while the internalised grammar contains
  rules different from those of the target system.
  This failure to reach native-like competence is
  common in SLA. It does not happen in L1.

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Data analysis

• The interpretation of interlanguage data is
  central to SLA research. Learner productions are
  analysed in the attempt to understand the
  underlying system.

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What is happening here? Verb ing markers(p 22)

• (2-20) Hes sleeping.
• (2-21) Shes sleeping
• (2-22) Its raining.
• (2-23) Hes sleeping.
• (2-24) Hanis sleeping.
• (2-25) The dog eating. (The dog is eating.)
• (2-26) Hani watch TV. (Hani is watching TV.)
• (2-27) Watch TV. (He is watching TV.)
• (2-28) Read the paper. (He is reading the paper.)
• (2-29) Drink the coffee. (He is drinking coffee.)

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What is the learners ing rule? Hypothesis I
Put the Verb ing in the sentence final position.

• (2-20) Hes sleeping.
• (2-21) Shes sleeping
• (2-22) Its raining.
• (2-23) Hes sleeping.
• (2-24) Hanis sleeping.
• (2-25) The dog eating. (The dog is eating.)
• (2-26) Hani watch TV. (Hani is watching TV.)
• (2-27) Watch TV. (He is watching TV.)
• (2-28) Read the paper. (He is reading the paper.)
• (2-29) Drink the coffee. (He is drinking coffee.)

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What is the learners ing rule?Hypothesis II
Whenever there is an intended progressive, put
Verb ing in the sentence final position.

• (2-20) Hes sleeping.
• (2-21) Shes sleeping
• (2-22) Its raining.
• (2-23) Hes sleeping.
• (2-24) Hanis sleeping.
• (2-25) The dog eating. (The dog is eating.)
• (2-26) Hani watch TV. (Hani is watching TV.)
• (2-27) Watch TV. (He is watching TV.)
• (2-28) Read the paper. (He is reading the paper.)
• (2-29) Drink the coffee. (He is drinking coffee.)

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What is the learners ing rule?Hypothesis
III Simple form of the verb is used when there
is no overt subject.

• (2-20) Hes sleeping.
• (2-21) Shes sleeping
• (2-22) Its raining.
• (2-23) Hes sleeping.
• (2-24) Hanis sleeping.
• (2-25) The dog eating. (The dog is eating.)
• (2-26) Hani watch TV. (Hani is watching TV.)
• (2-27) ø Watch TV. (He is watching TV.)
• (2-28) ø Read the paper. (He is reading the
  paper.)
• (2-29) ø Drink the coffee. (He is drinking
  coffee.)

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Hypothesis IV The Verb -ing form is used in
sentences without overt objects. (a) The simple
form of the verb is used with transitive verbs
with overt objects. (b)

• (2-20) Hes sleeping. (a)
• (2-21) Shes sleeping. (a)
• (2-22) Its raining. (a)
• (2-23) Hes sleeping. (a)
• (2-24) Hanis sleeping. (a)
• (2-25) The dog eating. (a) (The dog is eating.)
• (2-26) Hani watch TV. (Hani is watching TV.) (b)
• (2-27) Watch TV. (He is watching TV.) (b)
• (2-28) Read the paper. (He is reading the paper.)
  (b)
• (2-29) Drink the coffee. (He is drinking coffee.)
  (b)

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Data collection

• Longitudinal
• Quasi-longitudinal
• Cross-sectional

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Data elicitation

• Standardized language tests
• Tests from psychology
• Language-elicitation measures.

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Standardised language tests

• TOEFL
• IELTS
• Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI)

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Tests from psychology

• Questionnaires usually used for assessing
  attitudes, motivation, learning styles.
• Likert scales
• Steve Irwin is a goose.
• 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
• Strongly disagree Strongly agree

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Language-elicitation measures.

• Elicited imitation. The ability to repeat longer
  sentences reflects master of grammatical
  structure.
• Stimulus The rat the cat the dog bit chased
  died.
• Response The rat the cat the dog bit chased died.

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Grammaticality judgments

• 3rd person -s omitted in obligatory contexts
• Johns dog always waits for him at the corner.
• Johns dog always wait for him at the corner.
• Double tense marking
• Where did Arnie hunted last year?
• Where did Arnie hunt last year?

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Second Language Acquisition

• Week 1 End