The Linguistics of Second Language Acquisition

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The Linguistics of Second Language Acquisition
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Essential Questions

• How have theorists defined languages and the
  language learning experience?
• What has their research shown?
• Do the theorists agree or disagree with each
  other?
• What are we learning when we are learning a
  language?

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The Nature of Language

• In your opinion, how would you describe the
  nature of language?
• Languages are

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What Linguists have said

• Languages are
• Systematic.
• Symbolic.
• Social.
• What do you think they mean?

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Languages are systematic

• Elements which occur in regular patterns of
  relationships.
• Unconscious rules or principles which speakers
  are unaware of knowing or using
• Understand the principles by using the language
  to express meaning.

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Languages are symbolic

• Sequences do not inherently possess meaning.
• The meanings of symbols come through the
  agreement of speakers.
• It is meaningful for the speakers who use or say
  that language.

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Languages are social

• Reflects the society that uses it.
• The only way to learn that language is to use it
  with others.
• No standard to judge which language is more
  effective for communication than another.
• Use language to communicate, to categorize and
  catalogue the objects, events, and processes.

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Vocabulary

• What do these words mean? Can you give some
  examples?
• Lexicon
• Phonology
• Morphology
• Syntax
• Discourse

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Lexicon Vocabulary

• Word meaning
• Pronunciation (and spelling for written
  languages)
• Part of speech
• Word combinations and idioms

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Phonology Sound System

• Phonemes speech sounds that make a difference in
  meaning
• Syllable structure sequences of consonants and
  vowels
• Intonation patterns/tone
• Rhythmic patterns (pauses and stops)

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Morphology Word Structure

• Morphemes parts of words that have meaning
• Inflections number or tense that carry
  grammatical information
• Prefixes and suffixes

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Syntax Grammar

• Word order
• Subject/verb agreement
• Ways to form questions, to negate assertions, and
  to focus or structure information within sentences

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Discourse

• Ways to connect sentences
• How to structure stories and engage in
  conversations
• Scripts for interacting and for events

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Contrastive Analysis (1950s-1960s)

• Robert Lado
• Involves predicting and explaining learner
  problems based on comparing L1 and L2 with each
  other to determine similarities and differences.
• Make learning and teaching more efficient.

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Contrastive Analysis (continued)

• Believe that learning a language is like learning
  a habit.
• Stimulus-Response-Reinforcement (S-R-R) imitate
  and repeat the language and the response is
  reinforced.
• Practice makes perfect

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Contrastive Analysis (continued)

• Transfer in learning (positive and negative)
• We analyze the language in order to predict the
  problems that are most likely to occur.
• We create language lessons based on those
  predicted difficulties and we sequence our
  lessons in order of difficulty.

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Contrastive Analysis Practice

• Based on your practice, what do you think of this
  method? Is it useful? Effective?
• What is good about this method?
• What are some problems with this method?

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Problems with Contrastive Analysis

• Cannot explain how learners know more than they
  have heard or have been taught (the logical
  problem of language learning).
• The predictions were not accurate. Sometimes
  different problems appeared.
• How can you do this approach when you have
  multiple students with different language
  backgrounds?

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Error Analysis

• Internal focus on learners ability to construct
  or create language.
• Based on actual learner errors in L2, not on
  predictions.

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Assumptions of Error Analysis (EA)

• Inner forces (interaction with the environment)
  push or promote learning.
• The learner is an active and creative participant
  in the process rather than a passive recipient.
• Examine the output in their own right instead of
  how deficient the language is.
• Sources of insight into the learning process.
• Windows into the mind of the learner. How the
  learner is exploring the language.

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Error Analysis Procedure

• Collect a sample of learner language
• Identify the errors
• Describe the errors (according to language level,
  category, or specific language elements).
• Explain the errors (interlingual between
  languages, intralingual within the language or
  developmental).
• Evaluate the errors

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Error Analysis Practice

• Based on your experience, what do you think of
  error analysis? Is it helpful? Useful?
• What are the good features of this method?
• What are some problems with this method?

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Problems with Error Analysis

• Ambiguity in classification (Is the error because
  of a L1 influence or is it part of the
  developmental process?)
• Lack of positive data (does not explain what the
  learner has acquired)
• Potential for avoidance (the learner may not say
  it because the language structure is difficult).

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Homework

• 1- Interlanguage experts (pages 40-42)
• 2- Krashen experts (pages 45-46)
• 3- Chomsky experts (pages 46-47)