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L2 Lexical learning

„ Vivian Umbel’s studies of L1 Spanish-L2 English LIGN177: in Miami 1st graders „ Acquisition of L2 does not affect L1 „ Bilinguals (E/S in home) and L2 English learners (S in home) did not meet monolingual English standards October 8, 2009 „ Bilinguals outperformed L2 English learners „ Strategies that L2 children use: Multilingual acquisition Non-specific verbs and nouns – ‘thing’ ‘go’ Sound-symbolism – ‘plosh’ for ‘dive’

L2 Lexical learning L2 Morphosyntax

„ L2 lexical learning builds up gradually and on conceptual „ Paradis study showed errors primarily with experience of L1 grammatical morphology, not necessarily „ Is L2 lexical learning faster than L1 lexical learning? connected to L1 transfer „ Johanne Paradis’ study of French/English bilinguals: 24 children with L2 English „ L2 ‘’ involves ommission of Rate of vocabulary growth was similar to L1 tense suffixes (-ing, -s, -ed) acquisition But, individual differences – some children show high „ Errors similar to L1 acquisition of English: rates of increase and older children are faster than I didn’t sawed, he want some younger „ Errors similar to children at same age with L1 impairment

Individual differences Comparison with monolinguals

„ L2 learning is in a more varied context than L1 „ Children take approx. 5 years to perform learning at level of monolinguals „ Factors that can influence it: „ Depends on task „ Motivation „ Aptitude „ But perhaps bilinguals always perform „ Personality differently than monolinguals – slight „ L1 characteristics pronunciation differences, processing „ Age of acquisition differences „ Socio-Economic Status „ Quality of input

1 Multilingual or L3 acquisition L1-L2-L3

„ Less likely to find balanced multilingual „ Children can acquire three in than bilingual childhood „ Multilinguals have more specific functions „ One parent, one language + 1 community and contexts for each language language „ Issues in L3 acquisition „ Two parents, one language + 2 community 1. Whether L2 aids in L3 acquisition languages 2. Cross-linguistic influence

Childhood multilingualism Benefits of bilingualism

„ Few studies conducted on multilingual „ General positive effects of bilingualism on children and acquisition patterns the acquisition of L3 have been reported, „ Most studies focus on adults learning a 3rd and in multiple domains (perception, language in formal setting comprehension, lexical tests) „ No effects of bilingualism have also been reported

Cross-linguistic influence Cross-linguistic influence

„ If languages are similar (phonetically, „ L1 literacy and positive L1 learning vocabulary, syntax), transfer effects are experience has strong correlation with L2 observed development – does this extend to L3? „ Ex. Turkish L1, Dutch L2 Æ build on „ Context of acquisition – school settings do Dutch L2 to assist with English L3 seem to help, but little studies of oral, „ Typological similarity outweighs L1 informal, acquisition have been conducted influence

2 Additive vs. subtractive Tremblay (2006)

„ Tremblay, Marie-Claude (2006). Cross-linguistic influence in Third : The „ Additive multilingualism occurs when a L2 or L3 is added, but the L1 is still used and valued Role of L2 Proficiency and L2 Exposure. Cahiers linguistiques d’Ottawa 34:109-119. „ Study of acquisition of L3 German by „ Subtractive multilingualism occurs when a L2 or L1/L2 English/French L3 is added, and the L1 (or L2) is replaced „ Is there cross-linguistic interference and „ Subtractive context - socially-dominant community languages replacing home how does it relate to proficiency in L2? languages „ Study of lexical ‘inventions’(, „ Additive bilingualism – more benefits for L2 false cognates, blends) and lexical shifts

Tremblay (2006) Leung (2005)

„ Results „ Leung, Yan-Kit Ingrid. 2005. L2 vs. L3 initial state: a comparative study of the acquisition of French DPs by Vietnamese monolinguals and Cantonese- „ Lexical innovations/shift rate from L1 was 33% English bilinguals. Bilingualism: Language and 8:39-61. for high L2 proficiency, 54% for low L2 „ Study of acquisition of French noun phrases by L1 proficiency; no difference for exposure Vietnamese (in ) and L1Cantonese/L2English bilinguals (in Hong Kong) „ Lexical innovation/shift rate from L2 was 3.5% „ Vietnamese and Cantonese lack articles (‘the’, ‘a’) and for high L2 proficiency, 1% for low L2 plural marking „ Higher proficiency in L2 French, lower the „ Classifiers are used instead, which may be definite or influence from L1 English on L3 German indefinite

Leung (2005) Resuls Cognitive advantages?

„ Strong transfer of L1 into L2 French for the „ Nayak’s research suggests that Vietnamese monolinguals multilinguals use superior processing and „ High rate with articles; had default singular learning strategies „ Partial transfer of L2 into L3 for the Cantonese- „ Flexibility in matching strategies to task English bilinguals „ Implicit learning strategies (exposure leads „ Performed well on definite article usage; some issues with Adj-N placement to learning, not explicit instruction) „ Æ Proficiency in English helped with French

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