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Linguistic Theory in Second Language Acquisition Studies in Theoretical Psycholinguistics

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Linguistic Theory in Second Language Acquisition Studies in Theoretical Psycholinguistics LINGUISTIC THEORY IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION STUDIES IN THEORETICAL PSYCHOLINGUISTICS Managing Editors: Tom Roeper, Dept. of Linguistics, University of Massachusetts at Amherst Kenneth Wexler, School of Social Sciences, University of California at Irvine Editorial Board: Robert Berwick, Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, MIT, Cambridge, Mass. Manfred Bierwisch, Zentralinst. fur Sprachwissenschaft, Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR Merrill Garrett, MIT, Cambridge, Mass. Lila Gleitmann, School of Education, University of Pennsylvania Mary-Louise Kean, University of California at Irvine Howard Lasnik, University of Connecticut at Storrs John Marshall, Neuropsychology Unit, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford Daniel Osherson, MIT, Cambridge, Mass. Yukio Otsu, Tokyo Gakugei University, Tokyo Edwin Williams, University of Massachusetts at Amherst 1988 LINGUISTIC THEORY IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION Edited by SUZANNE FLYNN Department oj Foreign Languages and Literatures. Massachusetts Institute oj Technology. Cambridge. U.S.A. and WAYNE O'NEIL Department oj LingUIstics and Philosophy. Massachusetts Institute oj Technology. Cambridge. U.S.A. KLUWER ACADEMIC PUBLISHERS DORDRECHT / BOSTON / LONDON Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data LinguIstics In second language acquisition edited by Suzanne Flynn and Wayne O'Neil, p, em. -- (Studies In theoretIcal psychollngulstlCS) Includes bIblIographIes and Indexes. I. Second language acquIsItion. 2. Grammar. Co~paratlve and general. I. Flynn. Suzanne. II. O'Neil. Wayne A. III. Series. P118.2.l56 1988 401'.9--dc19 88-21811 ISBN-13: 978-1-55608-085-2 e-ISBN-13: 978-94-009-2733-9 CIP DOl: 10.1007/978-94-009-2733-9 Published by Kluwer Academic Publishers, P.O. Box 17,3300 AA Dordrecht, The Netherlands. Kluwer Academic Publishers incorporates the publishing programmes of D. Reidel, Martinus Nijhoff, Dr W, Junk and MTP Press. Sold and distributed in the U.S.A. and Canada by Kluwer Academic Publishers, 101 Philip Drive, Norwell, MA 02061, U.S.A. In all other countries, sold and distributed by Kluwer Academic Publishers Group, P.O. Box 322, 3300 AH Dordrecht, The Netherlands. All Rights Reserved © 1988 by Kluwer Academic Publishers Softcover reprint ofthe hardcover 1st edition 1988 No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright owner. TABLE OF CONTENTS ORIGINAL PROGRAM ix ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xiii S. H.YNN and W. O'NEIL / Introduction 1 PART A THEORETICAL AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT FOR SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION K. HALE I Linguistic Theory: Generative Grammar 26 F. NEWMEYER and S. WEINBERGER / The Ontogenesis of the Field of Second Language Learning Research 34 PARTB PARAMETERS H. CLAHSEN / Parameterized Grammatical Theory and Language Acquisition: A Study of the Acquisition of Verb Placement and Inflection by Children and Adults 47 S. H.YNN / Nature of Development in L2 Acquisition and Implications for Theories of Language Acquisition in General 76 L. TRAVIS / Linguistic Theory. Neurolinguistics and Second Language Acquisition 90 L. JENKINS / Second Languagc Acquisition: A Biolinguistic Perspective 109 L. OBLER / Neurolinguistics and Parameter Selting 117 vi TABLE OF CONTENTS PARTC MARKEDNESS IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION I. MAZURKEWICH / The Acquisition of Infinitive and Gerund Complements by Second Language Learners 127 L. WHIlE / Island Effects in Second Language Acquisition 144 M. SHARWOOD SMITH / On the Role of Linguistic Theory in Explanations of Second Language Developmental Grammars 173 J. LICERAS / L2 Leamability: Delimiting the Domain of Core Grammar as Distinct from the Marked Periphery 199 J. W. GAlR / Kinds of Markedness 225 PARTD ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE FOR UNIVERSAL GRAMMAR L. HAEGEMAN / The Categorial Status of Modals and L2 Acquisition 252 S. FELIX IUG-Generatcd Knowledge in Adult Second Language Acquisition 277 E. BROSELOW / Prosodic Phonology and the Acquisition of a Second Lan- guage 295 B. LUST I Universal Grammar in Second Language Acquisition: Promises and Problems in Critically Relating Theory and Empirical Studies 309 PARTE COMPLEMENTARY PERSPECTIVES D. MACEDO and F. D'INTRONO / Pidginization as Language Acquisition 330 J. AITCHISON / All Paths Lead to the Mental Lexicon 346 R. SINGH and G. MARTOHARDJONO / Intcrmorphology and Morphological Theory: A Plea for a Concession 362 TABLE OF CONTENTS vii PARTF UNIVERSAL GRAMMAR FROM A TRADITIONAL PERSPECflVE S. GASS / Second Language Acquisition and Linguistic Theory: The Role of Language Transfer 384 W. RUTHERFORD / Grammalical Thcory and L2 Acquisition: A Brief Overview 404 F. ECKMAN / Typological and Parametric Views of Universals in Second Language Acquisilion 417 LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS 431 INDEX OF NAMES 433 INDEX OF SUBJECTS 438 ORIGINAL PROGRAM October 25-0ctober 27. ) 985 Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Cambridge. Mass. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25 I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS Jay Keyser, Associate Provost, Massachusetts Institute of Technology II. CONFERENCE OVERVIEW Suzanne Flynn, Massachusetts Institute of Technology III. OVERVIEW PERSPECTIVES a. Linguistic Theory Ken Hale, Massachusetts Institute of Technology b. Linguistic Theory and L2 Acquisition F. Newmeyer and S. Weinberg, University of Washington c. LI Markedness and Implications for L2 Acquisition Ken Wexler, University of California, Irvine IV. SYNTAX a. Island Effects in L2 Acquisition Lydia White. McGill University Commentator: Wayles Browne. Cornell b. Natu,.e and Developmelll in L2 Acquisition and Implications for Theories of Language Acquisition in General Suzanne Flynn. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Commentator: Loraine Obler. City University of New York ix x ORIGINAL PROGRAM c. Parameterized Grammatical Theory and Language Acquisition: A Study of the acqUIsition of verb placement and inflection by cllildren and adults Harald Clahsen. Dusseldorf Commentator: Wayne O'Neil. Massachusetts Institute of Technology £4TURDA~OCTOBER26 V. SYNTAX (2) a. L2 LearnabililY: Delimiting the Domain of Core Grammar as distilict from the Marked Periphery Juana Liceras. University of Ottawa Commentator: Tom Roeper, University of Massachusetts b. TIle Acquisition of infinitive and Gaund Complements by L2 Leamers Irene Mazurkewich. St. John's Commentator: Jim Gair, Cornell c. The Categoria{ Statlls ~r Modals in L2 Acquisition Liliane Haegeman. Geneva Commentator: Barbara Lust, Cornell d. Discussion VI. OVERVIEW The Mental Lexicon: Current Theories alld L2 Imp/ications Jean Aitchison, London VII. MORPHOLOGY AND PHONOLOGY a. VG and Transfer ill the L2 Acquisition of the English Dative Rille Chris Adjemian. Ottawa Commentator: Steve Pinker, Massachusetts Institute of Technology b. Tlleory of 1l1lermOlpllO!ogy Raj Singh. University of Montreal Commentator: Sascha Felix. University of Passua ORIGINAL PROGRAM xi c. Prosodic Phonology and the Acquisitioll of a Second Language Ellen Broselow. Stony Brook Commentator: John McCarthy, University of Massachusetts d. Discllssion VIII. CODE-SWITCHING AND CREOLES a. Pidginization as Language Acquisition Donaldo Macedo, University of Massachusetts, Boston Commentator: Francisco d'Introno, University of Massachusetts. Amherst b. Code-Switchillg Ellen Woolford, Pennsylvania State University Commentator: Esther Torrego, University of Massachusetts, Boston SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27 IX. ADDITIONAL PERSPECTIVES a. Linguistic Theory, Neurolinguistics and L2 Acquisition Lisa Travis, McGill University Commentator: Lyle Jenkins, Harvard University . b. Syll/a'( Project at University of Texas, Austin Robert Bley-Vroman, University of Texas c. Discussion X. OVERVIEW: OTHER CONSIDERATIONS OF UG FOR L2 ACQUISITION a. Language Typologies William Rutherford, University of Southern California b. Language Tran~rl!r Susan Gass, University of Michigan c. Typological and Parametric Views of Universals ill Second Language Acquisition Fred Eckman. University of Wisconsin xii ORIGINAL PROGRAM d. Neurolinguistics Karl Diller, University of New Hampshire e. Discussion XI. CONCLUSION AND SUMMARY Wayne O'Neil ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This volume and the original conference from which these papers originated were made possible through a grant from the National Science Foundation, BS # BNS-8510947. The editors of this volume would also like to acknowledge the support received throughout this entire project from the faculties of Foreign Languages and Literatures. and Linguistics and Philosophy at MIT. A special note of appreciation is also owed to Ann Friedlaender, Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences at MIT, for her unwavering support from the earliest planning stages of this project. We would also like to thank Marilyn Silva of the Linguistics and Philosophy Department for her much needed expertise and assistance in procuring the necessary funding. Special thanks are also owed to Brian Sietsema for his help in editing and for his thoroughness in compiling the indexes. One final debt of gratitude is also owed to Chris Pomiecko of the Foreign Languages and Literatures Section for his help in assembling this volume for publication. Needless to say, this volume would not have been possible without all this support. xiii .
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