John Benjamins Publishing Company
Beyond individual form-meaning associations in L2 Tense-Mood-Aspect research
Abstract
This paper explores steps we might take as researchers to shift our focus from individual tense-aspect form-meaning associations to focus increasingly on how tense-aspect form-meaning associations fit together to form L2 tense-aspect systems and how they may be aided or constrained by the interlanguage more generally. The chapter begins by first considering what we know thus far about the second language acquisition of tense and aspect from functional perspectives. The chapter then presents three areas for investigation with the potential for addressing the goal of investigating L2 TMA systems rather than individual form-meaning associations. Moving from within the tense-mood-aspect system outward, the paper first considers exploring the interactions of individual form-to-meaning and meaning-to-form mappings with other tense-mood-aspect mappings in the system, then considers the text-types in which various tense-mood-aspect devices occur, and finally takes into account other linguistic systems to consider how the realization of tense-mood-aspect morphology might be constrained by a learner’s L2 phonology or proficiency with the spelling system of the L2.
Abstract
This paper explores steps we might take as researchers to shift our focus from individual tense-aspect form-meaning associations to focus increasingly on how tense-aspect form-meaning associations fit together to form L2 tense-aspect systems and how they may be aided or constrained by the interlanguage more generally. The chapter begins by first considering what we know thus far about the second language acquisition of tense and aspect from functional perspectives. The chapter then presents three areas for investigation with the potential for addressing the goal of investigating L2 TMA systems rather than individual form-meaning associations. Moving from within the tense-mood-aspect system outward, the paper first considers exploring the interactions of individual form-to-meaning and meaning-to-form mappings with other tense-mood-aspect mappings in the system, then considers the text-types in which various tense-mood-aspect devices occur, and finally takes into account other linguistic systems to consider how the realization of tense-mood-aspect morphology might be constrained by a learner’s L2 phonology or proficiency with the spelling system of the L2.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Tense, aspect and modality in second language acquisition 1
- Beyond individual form-meaning associations in L2 Tense-Mood-Aspect research 27
- The grammatical representation of aspect 53
- Issues in the acquisition of grammatical aspect in Greek-English bilingual children 75
- Is it really easier to acquire a closely-related language? 105
- ‘It starts to explode.’ Phasal segmentation of contextualised events in L2 English 145
- The acquisition of modal auxiliaries in English by advanced Francophone learners 183
- Using the present tense to talk about irreality 213
- Index 253
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Tense, aspect and modality in second language acquisition 1
- Beyond individual form-meaning associations in L2 Tense-Mood-Aspect research 27
- The grammatical representation of aspect 53
- Issues in the acquisition of grammatical aspect in Greek-English bilingual children 75
- Is it really easier to acquire a closely-related language? 105
- ‘It starts to explode.’ Phasal segmentation of contextualised events in L2 English 145
- The acquisition of modal auxiliaries in English by advanced Francophone learners 183
- Using the present tense to talk about irreality 213
- Index 253
