THE LINGUISTICS OF SLA

1. THE NATURE OF LANGUAGE

1.1. UNIVERSAL CHARACTERISTICS

1.1.1. Systematic

1.1.2. Symbolic

1.1.3. Social

1.2. LANGUAGE

1.2.1. Used for communication, categorization and catalogation of objects, events and processes of human experience

1.2.2. The expressive dimension of culture

1.2.3. Levels of description and analysis

1.2.3.1. Lexicon

1.2.3.2. Phonology

1.2.3.3. Morphology

1.2.3.4. Syntax

1.2.3.5. Discourse

2. EARLY APPROACHES

2.1. CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS (CA)

2.1.1. Predicting and explaining learner problems based on a comparison of L1 and L2 determining differences and similarities

2.1.2. Pedagogical goal

2.1.2.1. Increasing efficiency in L2 teaching and testing

2.1.3. Stimilus- Response- Reinforcement (S-R-R)

2.1.4. transfer

2.1.4.1. Positive

2.1.4.1.1. Same structures appropiated in both languages

2.1.4.2. Negative (interference)

2.1.4.2.1. L1 structures used inappropiately in the L2

2.1.5. Used to analyze segments of language that can cause problems for learners

2.1.6. Problems

2.1.6.1. Inadequate to explain the logical problem of language learning

2.1.6.2. CA does not account for many learner errors

2.2. ERROR ANALYSIS (EA)

2.2.1. Internal focus on learners' creative ability to contruct language

2.2.2. Based on the description and analysis of actual learner errors in L2

2.2.2.1. Inlfuenced by Structuralism and Behaviorism

2.2.3. Replacing CA

2.2.3.1. Real learner errors could not be attributed to transfer from L1 to L2.

2.2.3.2. Surface-level forms and patterns shifted to concern for underlying rules.

2.2.3.2.1. Transformational-Generative (TG) Grammar (Noam Chosmky

2.2.3.3. A shift to Mentalism

2.2.3.3.1. Innate capacity of the language learner

2.2.3.4. L2 learning perceived as independent of L2 teaching

2.2.4. "errors are windows into the language learner’s mind"

2.2.5. Language

2.2.5.1. a target of analysis potentially independent of L1 or L2

2.2.5.2. state of learner knowledge

2.2.5.2.1. transitional competence

2.2.6. The procedure for analyzing learner errors

2.2.6.1. Collection of a sample of learner language.

2.2.6.1.1. Morpheme Order Studies

2.2.6.2. Identification of errors

2.2.6.2.1. Systematic

2.2.6.2.2. Mistakes

2.2.6.3. Description of errors.

2.2.6.3.1. Language level

2.2.6.3.2. General linguistic category

2.2.6.3.3. Specific linguistic elements

2.2.6.4. Explanation of errors

2.2.6.4.1. Interlingual factors

2.2.6.4.2. Intralingual factors (developmental errors)

2.2.6.5. Evaluation of errors

2.2.6.5.1. How “serious” it is

2.2.7. Shortcomings

2.2.7.1. Ambiguity in classification

2.2.7.2. Lack of positive data

2.2.7.3. Potential for avoidance

2.3. INTERLANGUAGE

2.3.1. Larry Selinker

2.3.2. "the intermediate states (interim grammars) of a learner’s language as it moves toward the target L2"

2.3.3. Characteristics

2.3.3.1. Systematic

2.3.3.2. Dynamic

2.3.3.3. Variable

2.3.3.4. Reduced system, both in form and function

2.3.4. Fossilization

2.3.4.1. The cessation of IL development before reaching target language norm

2.3.4.2. Related to age of learning

2.3.4.3. Relative success

2.3.4.3.1. Level of IL development reached before learning stops.

2.3.5. Target language

2.3.5.1. Native-like production is neither intended nor desired by speakers

2.4. MORPHEME ORDER STUDIES

2.4.1. a natural order (or universal sequence) in the grammatical development of L2 learners

2.4.1.1. Creative construction

2.4.1.2. Identity Hypothesis (L1=L2)

2.5. MONITOR MODEL

2.5.1. Stephen Krashen

2.5.2. Language Acquisition Device (LAD)

2.5.3. Five Hypothesis

2.5.3.1. Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis

2.5.3.1.1. Acquisition

2.5.3.1.2. Learning

2.5.3.2. Monitor Hypothesis

2.5.3.3. Natural Order Hypothesis.

2.5.3.4. Input Hypothesis

2.5.3.5. Affective Filter Hypothesis

2.5.4. Important points

2.5.4.1. What is being acquired in SLA is a “rule-governed” language system

2.5.4.2. How SLA takes place involves creative mental processes

2.5.4.3. Why some learners are more (or less) successful in SLA than others relates primarily to the age of the learner.

3. UNIVERSAL GRAMMAR

3.1. LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE VS LINGUISTIC PERFORMANCE

3.1.1. Speaking-hearers' underlying knowledge of language VS speaker-hearers' actual use of language

3.2. LOGICAL PROBLEM OF LANGUAGE LEARNING

3.2.1. Poverty of the stimulus argument

3.3. LANGUAGE FACULTY

3.3.1. Innate knowledge

3.3.1.1. INITIAL STATE

3.3.1.1.1. Markedness

3.3.1.1.2. Interference

3.3.1.2. INTERLANGUAGE

3.3.1.2.1. Intermediate states of L2 development: IL1, IL2, IL3, etc.

3.3.1.3. FINAL STATE

3.3.1.3.1. All learners may not have the same degree of access to UG

3.3.1.3.2. Different relationships between various L1s and L2s may result in differential transfer or interference

3.3.1.3.3. Some learners may receive qualitatively different L2 input

3.3.1.3.4. Some learners may be more perceptive than others of mismatches between L2 input and existing L1 parameter settings

3.3.1.3.5. Different degrees of specification for lexical features may be achieved by different learners

3.4. PRINCIPLES AND PARAMETERS

3.4.1. Positive evidence

3.4.2. Negative evidence

3.5. TRANSFORMATIONAL-GENERATIVE

3.5.1. Earlier theory which involves induction of a language specific system of rules

4. FUNCTIONAL APPROACHES

4.1. FUNCTIONALISM

4.1.1. Structural function

4.1.2. Pragmatic function

4.2. Systemic Linguistics

4.2.1. Functions of the language

4.2.1.1. Intrumental

4.2.1.2. Regulatory

4.2.1.3. Interactional

4.2.1.4. Personal

4.2.1.5. Heuristic

4.2.1.6. Imagination

4.2.1.7. Representational

4.2.2. Language Structures

4.2.2.1. Nonlinguistic

4.2.2.2. L2 formula or memorized routine

4.2.2.3. Single L2 word

4.2.2.4. L2 phrase or clause

4.2.2.5. Complex L2 construction

4.3. Functional Typology

4.3.1. Markedness

4.3.1.1. Phonology

4.3.1.2. Vocabulary

4.3.1.3. Syntax

4.3.1.4. Discourse

4.4. Function-to-form mapping

4.4.1. Grammaticalization

4.4.1.1. From topic-comment to subject predicate

4.4.1.2. From loose conjunction to tight subordination

4.4.1.3. From slow rate of delivery to fast rate of delivery

4.4.1.4. From word order governed mostly by the pragmatic principle of old information first to word order used to signal semantic case functions

4.4.1.5. From roughly one-to-one ratio of verbs to nouns in discourse to a larger ratio of nouns over verbs

4.4.2. Pragmatic mode

4.4.3. Syntactic mode

4.5. Information organization

4.5.1. Utterance Structure

4.5.2. Developmental levels

4.5.2.1. Nominal Utterance Organization (NUO)

4.5.2.2. Infinite Utterance Organization (IUO)

4.5.2.2.1. Basic variety

4.5.2.3. Finite Utterance Organization (FUO)

4.5.3. Principles

4.5.3.1. Phrasal constraints

4.5.3.2. Semantic constraints

4.5.3.3. Pragmatic constraints

4.5.4. Bundles of explanation

4.5.4.1. Communicative needs

4.5.4.2. Cross-linguistic influence

4.5.4.3. Extrinsic factors

4.5.4.4. Limits on processing