The Growth of Linguistic Knowledge and Language Processing in Undergraduate Learners of French

In this article it is argued first that linguistic knowledge consists of two components, linguistic competence and learned linguistic knowledge, and that these components are created in the mind of the second language learner by different processes. It is further argued that these two kinds of knowledge must be stored in the mind as proceduralised knowledge, through a process of automatization or proceduralisation, in order to permit fluent language processing. Using evidence gathered from undergraduate learners of French, these two hypotheses are investigated. The acquisition of competence is investigated through grammaticality judgement tests, the acquisition of proceduralised knowledge is investigated through the measurement of temporal variables. In relation to the acquisition of linguistic competence, the results suggest that learners do not re-set parameters even after a lengthy period of exposure to the L2, but that they may mimic the L2 on the basis of the LI. In relation to the proceduralisation of linguistic knowledge, the results suggest that learners do not possess the L2 knowledge in the same way as the LI knowledge but that specific aspects of the knowledge are proceduralised over time. It is expected that further investigation of the data set will enable more detailed statements about exactly what kind of knowledge has been acquired and proceduralised and what has not.