1887
Volume 3, Issue 2
  • ISSN 2542-3835
  • E-ISSN: 2542-3843
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

Abstract

Recent research on third language acquisition has been focusing on identifying the source of transfer in third language (L3) acquisition. In this article, we report on an empirical study of a less-studied language combination of , and English, which examines how speakers of as a first, second and third language process indefinite and definite subjects. Our data reveals that both typologically and structurally similar and less similar languages are available for transfer in third language acquisition, thus such transfer can be facilitative as well as detrimental. We also find that the frequency and length of exposure to the second language (L2) and the vulnerability of the property under investigation may cause first language attrition, which could influence third language acquisition.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/jsls.00012.xia
2021-02-05
2024-12-06
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Bardel, C. , & Falk, Y.
    (2007) The role of the second language in third language acquisition: The case of Germanic syntax. Second Language Research, 23(4), 459–484. 10.1177/0267658307080557
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0267658307080557 [Google Scholar]
  2. (2012) Behind the L2 status factor: A neurolinguistic framework for L3 research. In J. Cabrelli Amaro , S. Flynn , & J. Rothman (Eds.), Third language acquisition in adulthood (pp.61–78). John Benjamins. 10.1075/sibil.46.06bar
    https://doi.org/10.1075/sibil.46.06bar [Google Scholar]
  3. Chamorro, G. , & Sorace, A.
    (2019) The Interface Hypothesis as a framework for studying L1 attrition. In M. S. Schmid & B. Köpke (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of language attrition. Oxford University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Chen, L. L-S. , & Sybesma, R.
    (1999) Bare and not-so-bare nouns and the structure of NP. Linguistic Inquiry, 30(4), 509–542. 10.1162/002438999554192
    https://doi.org/10.1162/002438999554192 [Google Scholar]
  5. Falk, Y. , & Bardel, C.
    (2011) Object pronouns in German L3 syntax: Evidence for the L2 status factor. Second Language Research, 27(1), 59–82. 10.1177/0267658310386647
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0267658310386647 [Google Scholar]
  6. Falk, Y. , Lindqvist, C. , & Bardel, C.
    (2015) The role of L1 explicit metalinguistic knowledge in L3 oral production at the initial state. Bilingualism: Language and cognition, 18(2), 227–235. 10.1080/14790710408668175
    https://doi.org/10.1080/14790710408668175 [Google Scholar]
  7. González Alonso, J. & Rothman, J.
    (2017) Coming of age in L3 initial stages transfer models: Deriving developmental predictions and looking towards the future. International Journal of Bilingualism, 21(6), 683–697. 10.1177/1367006916649265
    https://doi.org/10.1177/1367006916649265 [Google Scholar]
  8. Hermas, Abdelkader
    (2010) Language acquisition as computational resetting: Verb movement in L3 initial state. International Journal of Multilingualism, 7(4), 343–362. 10.1080/14790718.2010.487941
    https://doi.org/10.1080/14790718.2010.487941 [Google Scholar]
  9. Jiang, N. , Hou, F. & Jiang, X.
    (2020) Analytic versus holistic recognition of Chinese words among L2 learners. The Modern Language Journal. doi:  10.1111/modl.12662
    https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12662 [Google Scholar]
  10. Jin, F.
    (2009) Third language acquisition of Norwegian objects: Interlanguage transfer or L1 influence?In Y-k. I. Leung (Ed.), Third language acquisition and universal grammar (pp.144–161). Multilingual Matters. 10.21832/9781847691323‑010
    https://doi.org/10.21832/9781847691323-010 [Google Scholar]
  11. Keating, G. D. , & Jegerski, J.
    (2015) Experimental designs in sentence processing research: A methodological review and user’s guide. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 37(1), 1–32. 10.1017/S0272263114000187
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263114000187 [Google Scholar]
  12. Lee, T. H-T.
    (1986) Studies on quantification in Chinese (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of California, Los Angeles.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Leung, Y-K. I.
    (2005) L2 vs. L3 initial state: A comparative study of the acquisition of French DPs by Vietnamese monolinguals and Cantonese–English bilinguals. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 8(1), 39–61. 10.1017/S1366728904002044
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S1366728904002044 [Google Scholar]
  14. Li, C. N. , & Thompson, S. A.
    (1989) Mandarin Chinese: A functional reference grammar. University of California Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Li, Y-h. A.
    (1998) Argument determiner phrases and number phrases. Linguistic Inquiry, 29(4), 693–702. 10.1162/ling.1998.29.4.693
    https://doi.org/10.1162/ling.1998.29.4.693 [Google Scholar]
  16. Lu, S. , & Pan, H.
    (2009) The semantic licensing conditions of indefinite subjects in Mandarin Chinese. Studies of the Chinese Language, 6, 528–537.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Paradis, M.
    (2004) A neurolinguistic theory of bilingualism. John Benjamins. 10.1075/sibil.18
    https://doi.org/10.1075/sibil.18 [Google Scholar]
  18. (2009) Declarative and procedural determinants of second languages. John Benjamins. 10.1075/sibil.40
    https://doi.org/10.1075/sibil.40 [Google Scholar]
  19. Ranong, S. N. , & Leung, Y-K. I.
    (2009) Null objects in L1 Thai-L2 English-L3 Chinese: An empiricist take on a theoretical problem. In Y-k. I. Leung (Eds.), Third language acquisition and universal grammar (pp.162–191). Multilingual Matters. 10.21832/9781847691323‑011
    https://doi.org/10.21832/9781847691323-011 [Google Scholar]
  20. Rothman, J.
    (2010) On the typological economy of syntactic transfer: Word order and relative clause high/low attachment preference in L3 Brazilian Portuguese. IRAL-International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 48(2–3), 245–273.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. (2011) L3 syntactic transfer selectivity and typological determinacy: The typological primacy model. Second Language Research, 27(1), 107–127. 10.1177/0267658310386439
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0267658310386439 [Google Scholar]
  22. (2013) Cognitive economy, non-redundancy and typological primacy in L3 acquisition. In S. Baauw , F. Drijkoningen , L. Meroni , & M. Pinto (Eds.), Romance languages and linguistic theory 2011 (pp.217–248). John Benjamins. 10.1075/rllt.5.11rot
    https://doi.org/10.1075/rllt.5.11rot [Google Scholar]
  23. (2015) Linguistic and cognitive motivations for the Typological Primacy Model (TPM) of third language (L3) transfer: Timing of acquisition and proficiency considered. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 18(2), 179–190. 10.1017/S136672891300059X
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S136672891300059X [Google Scholar]
  24. Rothman, J. , & Cabrelli Amaro, J.
    (2010) What variables condition syntactic transfer? A look at the L3 initial state. Second Language Research, 26(2), 189–218. 10.1177/0267658309349410
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0267658309349410 [Google Scholar]
  25. Rothman, J. , González Alonso, J. & Puig-Mayenco, E.
    (2019) Third language acquisition and linguistic transfer. Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/9781316014660
    https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316014660 [Google Scholar]
  26. Schmid, M. S.
    (2013) First language attrition. Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism, 3(1), 94–115. 10.1075/lab.3.1.05sch
    https://doi.org/10.1075/lab.3.1.05sch [Google Scholar]
  27. (2010) Languages at play: The relevance of L1 attrition to the study of bilingualism. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 13(1), 1–7. 10.1017/S1366728909990368
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S1366728909990368 [Google Scholar]
  28. Slabakova, R.
    (2017) The scalpel model of third language acquisition. International Journal of Bilingualism, 21(6), 651–665. 10.1177/1367006916655413
    https://doi.org/10.1177/1367006916655413 [Google Scholar]
  29. Tsai, W-T. D.
    (2001) On subject specificity and theory of syntax-semantics interface. Journal of East Asian Linguistics, 10(2), 129–168. 10.1023/A:1008321327978
    https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008321327978 [Google Scholar]
  30. Ullman, M. T.
    (2001) The neural basis of lexicon and grammar in first and second language: The declarative/procedural model. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 4(2), 105–122. 10.1017/S1366728901000220
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S1366728901000220 [Google Scholar]
  31. Westergaard, M.
    (2019) Microvariation in multilingual situations: The importance of property-by-property acquisition. Second Language Research. doi:  10.1177/0267658319884116
    https://doi.org/10.1177/0267658319884116 [Google Scholar]
  32. Westergaard, M. , Mitrofanova, N. , Mykhaylyk, R. & Rodina, Y.
    (2017) Crosslinguistic influence in the acquisition of a third language: The Linguistic Proximity Model. International Journal of Bilingualism, 21(6), 666–682. 10.1177/1367006916648859
    https://doi.org/10.1177/1367006916648859 [Google Scholar]
  33. Yao, S.
    (2010) Stage/individual-level predicates, topics and indefinite subjects. In R. Otoguro , K. Ishikawa , H. Umemoto , K. Yoshimoto , & Y. Harada (Eds.), InProceedings of the 24th Pacific Asia Conference on Language, Information and Computation (pp.573–582). Institute of Digital Enhancement of Cognitive Processing, Waseda University.
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/jsls.00012.xia
Loading
/content/journals/10.1075/jsls.00012.xia
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): ; definiteness; English; language transfer; second/third language acquisition
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error