Chapter 8. A calculus for L1 transfer
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William O’Grady
Abstract
The phenomenon of transfer plays a prominent role, either explicitly or implicitly, in most approaches to SLA, including Focus on Form and the Interaction Hypothesis – to name two lines of inquiry that lay at the heart of Mike Long’s scholarship. The central thesis of this chapter is that transfer is best seen as a processing-driven strategy: L2 learners transfer operations from their L1 to the L2, unless those operations are more costly in the L2 than in the L1. Much of the chapter is devoted to the application of this idea to phenomena that arise when adult native speakers of English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and Catalan go about acquiring a second or third language, producing transfer effects that have been difficult to accommodate in traditional approaches to cross-linguistic influence.
Abstract
The phenomenon of transfer plays a prominent role, either explicitly or implicitly, in most approaches to SLA, including Focus on Form and the Interaction Hypothesis – to name two lines of inquiry that lay at the heart of Mike Long’s scholarship. The central thesis of this chapter is that transfer is best seen as a processing-driven strategy: L2 learners transfer operations from their L1 to the L2, unless those operations are more costly in the L2 than in the L1. Much of the chapter is devoted to the application of this idea to phenomena that arise when adult native speakers of English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish and Catalan go about acquiring a second or third language, producing transfer effects that have been difficult to accommodate in traditional approaches to cross-linguistic influence.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- In memory of Professor Michael H. Long (1945–2021) vii
- Acknowledgements ix
- Preface xi
- About the editor and contributors xix
- Chapter 1. The legacy of Professor Michael H. Long and his influence in second language acquisition 1
- Chapter 2. Taking the Long view 9
- Chapter 3. Stabilization 29
- Chapter 4. Enhanced incidental learning 77
- Chapter 5. The uncertainty principle in second language acquisition 101
- Chapter 6. Tandem interaction enhancement 113
- Chapter 7. Immediate versus delayed oral negative feedback 127
- Chapter 8. A calculus for L1 transfer 143
- Chapter 9. Age of acquisition in second language thinking 177
- Chapter 10. Age effects in naturalistic and instructed second language acquisition 197
- Chapter 11. Performance on second language speaking tasks 211
- Chapter 12. A task-based needs analysis framework for TBLT 235
- Chapter 13. Can focus on form have an effect on language development? 257
- Index 273
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- In memory of Professor Michael H. Long (1945–2021) vii
- Acknowledgements ix
- Preface xi
- About the editor and contributors xix
- Chapter 1. The legacy of Professor Michael H. Long and his influence in second language acquisition 1
- Chapter 2. Taking the Long view 9
- Chapter 3. Stabilization 29
- Chapter 4. Enhanced incidental learning 77
- Chapter 5. The uncertainty principle in second language acquisition 101
- Chapter 6. Tandem interaction enhancement 113
- Chapter 7. Immediate versus delayed oral negative feedback 127
- Chapter 8. A calculus for L1 transfer 143
- Chapter 9. Age of acquisition in second language thinking 177
- Chapter 10. Age effects in naturalistic and instructed second language acquisition 197
- Chapter 11. Performance on second language speaking tasks 211
- Chapter 12. A task-based needs analysis framework for TBLT 235
- Chapter 13. Can focus on form have an effect on language development? 257
- Index 273
