Volume 61, Issue 1 - Special Issue: Motion Event Construal and Language Learning; Guest Editors: Fraibet Aveledo and Jeanine Treffers-Daller

In this introduction, we focus on three approaches to motion event construal, and explain how the papers in this special issue contribute to ongoing discussions in different fields of research. First of all, in second language (L2) acquisition, researchers ask to what extent L2 learners can separate the different conceptual systems that underpin motion in both languages, and whether there is crosslinguistic influence from the first language (L1) on the L2 or vice versa in the expression of motion. In particular research on gestures in SLA can throw new light on this issue. Second, linguists and psychologists are interested in finding out whether crosslinguistic differences might have an influence on non-linguistic cognition in the motion domain. This might be revealed in experimental tasks where speakers are asked to judge the similarity of film clips in contexts where no overt language is used. The third relevant question is to what extent this conceptually complex domain can be taught. This pespective on motion event construal has received very little attention from researchers interested in Instructed Second Language Acquisition. In the current SI, insights from cognitive grammar are used to explore the teaching of motion event construals to L2 learners, but we hope that the current SI will inspire researchers working in different frameworks to explore the teachability of motion in the classroom.

We investigated bidirectional cross-linguistic influence on motion event (ME) expressions in bilingual speakers of two typological different languages (Talmy’s typology), Spanish (as L1) and English (as L2). Specifically, we investigated whether bilingual speakers struggle to learn ME expressions in the L2, and whether this process affects ME uses in the L1. Potential effects of L2 proficiency and L2 AoA in both L1 and L2 was also studied. ME expressions elicited from 6-second video-clips were analysed for manner and path components at the level of the verb and of the clause. Results support the hypothesis of bidirectional cross-linguistic influence on motion event conceptualization. In bilinguals’ L2, we observed patterns of restructuring, convergence and L1 transfer. In bilinguals’ L1, we reported structural and conceptualization patterns that seem to emerge from the contact with the L2. Proficiency and AoA showed modulation in the use of manner verbs on both L2 and L1.

This study explores motion event construal in a story-telling task produced by learners of L2 French and Italian (intermediate vs advanced), whose L1 is typologically close to (Italian or French) or distant (English) from the TL. English, characteristically classified as S-language, contrasts with Italian and French, both typically considered as V-languages. Nevertheless, Italian is more satellite-framed than French. We examine (a) the extent to which learners get closer to the target preferences in coding motion, (b) the role of cross-linguistic influence, (c) the implications of our typological and acquisitional results in the language class. The findings show that L2 intermediate productions are similar across L1s’ (no specific L1 effect in L2), whereas cross-linguistic influence is evident at the advanced level when SL-TL have analogous formal structures (verb-particle constructions). L1 Romance learners look for similarities in the L2 rather than for L2-specific alternatives, despite the partial proximity between French and Italian.

This article brings a new perspective to the currently burgeoning interest in the power of language to influence how speakers from different linguistic backgrounds process motion events. While many studies have targeted high-level decision-based processes, such as Manner-based versus Path-based categorisation or motion event similarity judgments from memory, far less is known about the role of various language systems on low-level automatic processing. The goal of this article is to present an experimental method called breaking continuous flash suppression (b-CFS), critically assess its potential to capture language-induced biases when processing motion through a small-scale feasibility study with English native speakers versus Mandarin native speakers, and to provide practical recommendations with examples of how motion event research can respond to the epistemological challenges that this emerging data elicitation method faces.

This study compares two instruction methods (cognitive and traditional) for teaching complex metaphorical motion constructions in Spanish and developing A2+ learners’ metaphoric competence in the L2. The cognitive instruction combined insights from the Conceptual Metaphor Theory with multimodal content and cognitive parameters, whereas the traditional package followed a communicative and formalist approach to language based on most current L2 textbooks. A group of 33 university students from a North American-based College participated in the experiment. Assessment tests were designed inspired by cognitive linguistics tenets and measured learners’ general metaphor comprehension (Task 1) and original production (Task 2), as well as performance in the comprehension (Task 3) and production (Task 4) of change-of-state constructions, thus breaking with the pervading assessment typology for empirical studies in applied cognitive linguistics. The cognitive methodology proved to be significantly more beneficial for all four tasks. Although students who received a traditional instruction improved over time, those from the cognitive group showed statistically higher performance in metaphoric competence and in the comprehension and production of the target constructions. These findings clearly suggest that a cognitive-based instruction, when followed by a consistent assessment, is an effective approach to teaching and learning difficult constructions in the L2.

This paper investigates the question of whether systematically organized instruction in L2 thinking for speaking (TFS) can promote a shift from verb-framed L1 (Spanish) to satellite-framed L2 (English) TFS that encompasses the ability to appropriately express in speech and in gesture Path and Manner of Motion in the new language. A pretest narration-instruction-posttest narration design was used to evaluate whether the TFS patterns of seven L1 Spanish learners of L2 English changed as a result of Concept-Based Language Instruction. Learners’ pretest narrations showed primarily L1 patterns with some intermittent L2 TFS patterns. Following instruction, learners showed a shift to more L2 TFS patterns both linguistically and crucially gesturally, including the use of manner verbs, accumulation of path components within a single clause along with multiple path gestures, and boundary crossing gestures. These findings indicate that explicit Concept-Based Language Instruction is able to produce changes in TFS patterns that have not been possible even with extensive immersion.

Using a bibliometric analysis of the publications in the International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching (IRAL) , one of the journals with the most extended history in applied linguistics (AL), we combed through three periods of the journal’s development trajectory over 60 years. Specifically, we 1) examined the most frequently discussed topics in IRAL and their evolving patterns; 2) extracted the most highly-cited articles, the sources of citations, the sub-subjects of sources of citations, as well as the most highly-cited references; and 3) calculated the counts of authors in each year and their h -index, and identified the authors and countries/regions that contributed most to the journal. The results provide information on IRAL ’s content, impact, and attractiveness, constituting a multi-faceted evaluation of the journal. Meanwhile, the same bibliometric procedures were conducted on Language Learning (LL) , which acted as a reference for interpreting the performance of IRAL and identifying the gaps between IRAL and the leading journals in AL. Finally, suggestions for further adjustments and improvements to the journal were discussed.