The nature of the initial state of child L2 grammar
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Enkeleida Kapia
Abstract
This chapter explores the rarely documented acquisition of clitics in bilingual children with L1 Albanian, a language with clitics, while they are learning English, a language without clitics. The first study reported here uses the case study methodology, while the second study uses the elicited production methodology. The case study brings forth new evidence of a preverbal object clitic stage in English L2 learning even though English does not have preverbal object clitics. The follow-up elicitation production study with 6 children, including the one from the case study, shows that the initially reported clitic stage disappears after another month of exposure, with the initial state grammar already having restructured to the properties of the L2. These findings are discussed in relation to the theories on the initial state of grammar in L2, as well as the theories on L1 transfer in the context of their analysis of object clitics.
Abstract
This chapter explores the rarely documented acquisition of clitics in bilingual children with L1 Albanian, a language with clitics, while they are learning English, a language without clitics. The first study reported here uses the case study methodology, while the second study uses the elicited production methodology. The case study brings forth new evidence of a preverbal object clitic stage in English L2 learning even though English does not have preverbal object clitics. The follow-up elicitation production study with 6 children, including the one from the case study, shows that the initially reported clitic stage disappears after another month of exposure, with the initial state grammar already having restructured to the properties of the L2. These findings are discussed in relation to the theories on the initial state of grammar in L2, as well as the theories on L1 transfer in the context of their analysis of object clitics.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
- Acknowledgements ix
- Transfer effects in multilingual language development 1
-
Psycholinguistic Approaches to Language Transfer
- The relationship between L3 transfer and structural similarity across development 21
- Segmental targets versus lexical interference 53
- Foreign accent in heritage speakers of Turkish in Germany 87
-
Transfer in Language Learning and Language Contact
- Lexical cross-linguistic influence in third language development 111
- Effects of cross-linguistic influence in word formation 129
- Transfer effects in the acquisition of English as an additional language by bilingual children in Germany 147
- Let’s fix it? Cross-linguistic influence in word order patterns of Russian heritage speakers in Germany 161
-
Transfer in Applied Linguistics
- Assessing foreign language speech rhythm in multilingual learners 191
- Cross-linguistic transfer of academic language in multilingual adolescents 221
- Bilingual resources and school context 249
-
Methodology on Transfer
- Do immigrant children profit from heritage language proficiencies? 277
- Automated L1 identification in English learner essays and its implications for language transfer 297
- The nature of the initial state of child L2 grammar 323
- List of Indices 345
- Name Index 349
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
- Acknowledgements ix
- Transfer effects in multilingual language development 1
-
Psycholinguistic Approaches to Language Transfer
- The relationship between L3 transfer and structural similarity across development 21
- Segmental targets versus lexical interference 53
- Foreign accent in heritage speakers of Turkish in Germany 87
-
Transfer in Language Learning and Language Contact
- Lexical cross-linguistic influence in third language development 111
- Effects of cross-linguistic influence in word formation 129
- Transfer effects in the acquisition of English as an additional language by bilingual children in Germany 147
- Let’s fix it? Cross-linguistic influence in word order patterns of Russian heritage speakers in Germany 161
-
Transfer in Applied Linguistics
- Assessing foreign language speech rhythm in multilingual learners 191
- Cross-linguistic transfer of academic language in multilingual adolescents 221
- Bilingual resources and school context 249
-
Methodology on Transfer
- Do immigrant children profit from heritage language proficiencies? 277
- Automated L1 identification in English learner essays and its implications for language transfer 297
- The nature of the initial state of child L2 grammar 323
- List of Indices 345
- Name Index 349
