Chapter 14. A unified model of first and second language learning
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Brian MacWhinney
Abstract
The Unified Competition Model views first and second language learning as depending on a shared set of socio-cognitive processes. Differences between the two types of acquisition depend not on the expiration of a critical period, but on the operation of the risk factors of entrenchment, transfer, overanalysis, and isolation. Entrenchment is a neural process that arises from ongoing use of L1 across years. Transfer and parasitism arise from the dominance of L1 during initial L2 learning. Overanalysis stems from the tendency of adult learners to focus on content words, rather than phrases. Isolation arises from the tendency over time for L1 groups to reject the participation of out-group members and from increasing demands for the L1 group. These risk factors can be countered through the processes of resonance, decoupling, chunking, and participation that are available to all learners, but which must become sharpened to promote L2 acquisition.
Abstract
The Unified Competition Model views first and second language learning as depending on a shared set of socio-cognitive processes. Differences between the two types of acquisition depend not on the expiration of a critical period, but on the operation of the risk factors of entrenchment, transfer, overanalysis, and isolation. Entrenchment is a neural process that arises from ongoing use of L1 across years. Transfer and parasitism arise from the dominance of L1 during initial L2 learning. Overanalysis stems from the tendency of adult learners to focus on content words, rather than phrases. Isolation arises from the tendency over time for L1 groups to reject the participation of out-group members and from increasing demands for the L1 group. These risk factors can be countered through the processes of resonance, decoupling, chunking, and participation that are available to all learners, but which must become sharpened to promote L2 acquisition.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of authors (alphabetical) vii
- Introduction. What can variation tell us about first language acquisition? 1
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Part I. Universals and cross-linguistic variation in acquisition
- Chapter 1. Templates in child language 27
- Chapter 2. Phonological categories and their manifestation in child phonology 45
- Chapter 3. Bootstrapping lexical and syntactic acquisition 63
- Chapter 4. Retrieving meaning from noun and verb grammatical contexts 81
- Chapter 5. Language-specificity in motion expression 103
- Chapter 6. Cross-linguistic variation in children’s multimodal utterances 123
- Chapter 7. Gesture and speech in adults’ and children’s narratives 139
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Part II. Variation in input and contexts during acquisition
- Chapter 8. Conversational partners and common ground 163
- Chapter 9. Invariance in variation 183
- Chapter 10. New perspectives on input-output dynamics 201
- Chapter 11. Referential features, speech genres and activity types 219
- Chapter 12. Development of discourse competence 243
- Chapter 13. Texting by 12-year-olds 265
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Part III. Variation in types of acquisition and types of learners
- Chapter 14. A unified model of first and second language learning 287
- Chapter 15. Online sentence processing in simultaneous French/Swedish bilinguals 313
- Chapter 16. The blossoming of negation in gesture, sign and oral productions 339
- Chapter 17. Motion expression in children’s acquisition of French Sign Language 365
- Chapter 18. Early predictors of language development in Autism Spectrum Disorder 391
- Chapter 19. Spoken and written narratives from French- and English-speaking children with Language Impairment\ 409
- Chapter 20. Non-literal language comprehension 427
- Language index 439
- Subject index 440
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of authors (alphabetical) vii
- Introduction. What can variation tell us about first language acquisition? 1
-
Part I. Universals and cross-linguistic variation in acquisition
- Chapter 1. Templates in child language 27
- Chapter 2. Phonological categories and their manifestation in child phonology 45
- Chapter 3. Bootstrapping lexical and syntactic acquisition 63
- Chapter 4. Retrieving meaning from noun and verb grammatical contexts 81
- Chapter 5. Language-specificity in motion expression 103
- Chapter 6. Cross-linguistic variation in children’s multimodal utterances 123
- Chapter 7. Gesture and speech in adults’ and children’s narratives 139
-
Part II. Variation in input and contexts during acquisition
- Chapter 8. Conversational partners and common ground 163
- Chapter 9. Invariance in variation 183
- Chapter 10. New perspectives on input-output dynamics 201
- Chapter 11. Referential features, speech genres and activity types 219
- Chapter 12. Development of discourse competence 243
- Chapter 13. Texting by 12-year-olds 265
-
Part III. Variation in types of acquisition and types of learners
- Chapter 14. A unified model of first and second language learning 287
- Chapter 15. Online sentence processing in simultaneous French/Swedish bilinguals 313
- Chapter 16. The blossoming of negation in gesture, sign and oral productions 339
- Chapter 17. Motion expression in children’s acquisition of French Sign Language 365
- Chapter 18. Early predictors of language development in Autism Spectrum Disorder 391
- Chapter 19. Spoken and written narratives from French- and English-speaking children with Language Impairment\ 409
- Chapter 20. Non-literal language comprehension 427
- Language index 439
- Subject index 440