Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T21:28:37.514Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Second language acquisition research and the second language acquisition of French

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 October 2008

Roger Hawkins  and
Richard Towell
Roger Hawkins
Affiliation:
Dept. of Language & Linguistics, Univarsity of Essex, Colchester Co43SQ, England
Richard Towell
Affiliation:
Dept. of Modern Languages, University of Salford, Salford M54WT, England
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Prior to the late 1960s second language acquisition was thought to be a relatively uninteresting phenomenon; it involved transferring grammatical properties already activated in the first language (L 1) onto second language (L 2) vocabulary. Successful L 2 learners were those who could capitalise on the similarities between the L 1 and the L 2, and eradicate the differences; and successful language teaching involved training learners to overcome the L 1-L 2 differences. Today, perceptions of second language acquisition are more sophisticated and nuanced. Second language acquisition researchers are interested in questions bearing not only on the influence of the L 1, but also on the degree of systematicity in L 2 development, the role that L 1, but also on the degree of systematicity in L 2 development, the role that conscious knowledge plays, the sources of variability in second language speaker performance, the ultimate levels of success achieved by L 2 learners of different ages, and individual differences between learners. The purpose of this article is to present what the authors believe to be some of the key issues which characterise current second language acquisition research, and to consider those issues within the specific context of the acquisition of French as second language.

Type
Survey Article
Information
Journal of French Language Studies , Volume 2 , Issue 1 , March 1992 , pp. 97 - 121
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Anderson, J. (1983). The Architecture of Cognition. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
Anderson, J, (1985). Cognitive Psychology and its Implications (2nd edn). New York: Freeman.Google Scholar
Bailey, N., Madden, C. and Krashen, S. (1974). Is there a ‘natural sequence’ in adult second language learning? Language Learning, 21: 235–243.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berwick, R. (1985). The Acquisition of Syntactic Knowledge. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bialystok, E. (1988). Psycholinguistic dimensions of second language proficiency. In: Rutherford, W. and Sharwood-Smith, M. (eds.), Grammar and Second Language Teaching. Rowley, Mass.: Newbury House.Google Scholar
Bialystok, E. (1990). Communication Strategics. Oxford: Blackwell.Google Scholar
Brown, R. (1973). A First language. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard university Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chomsky, N. (1981). Lectures on Government and binding. Dordrecht: Foris.Google Scholar
Chomsky, N. (1986a). Knowledge of Language. New York: Praeger.Google Scholar
Chomsky, N. (1986b). Barriers. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.Google Scholar
Coleman, J. and Towell, R. (eds.) (1987). The Advanced language Learner. London: CILT.Google Scholar
Cook, V. (1973). The comparison of language development in native children and foreign adults. International Review of Applied Linguistics, 11: 13–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cook, V. (1977). Congnitive process in second language learning. International Review of Applied Linguistics, 15: 1–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coppieters, R. (1987). Competence differences between native and non-native speakers. Language. 63: 544–578.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Corder, S. (1967). The significance of learners' errors. International Review of Applied Linguistics, 5: 161–170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dulay, H. and Burt, M. (1973). Sould we teach children syntax? Language Learning, 23: 245–258.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dulay, H. and Burt, M. (1974). Natural sequences in child second language acquisition. Language Learning, 23: 245–258.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dulay, H. and Burt, M. and Krashen, S. (1982). Language Two. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Ellis, R. (1981). The role of input in language acquisition: some implications for second language teaching. Applied Linguistics, 2: 70–82.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellis, R. (1985a). Understanding Second Language Acquisition. Oxford. Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Ellis, R. (1985b). Sources of variability in interlanguage. Applied Linguistics, 6: 118–131.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellis, R. ed. (1987). Second Language Acquisition in Context. London: Prentice Hall.Google Scholar
Ellis, R. (1988). The effects of linguistic environment on the second language acquisition of grammatical rules. Applied Linguistics. 9: 257–274.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellis, R. (1989). Sources of intra-learner variability in language and their relationship to second language acquisition. In: Gass, S., Madden, C., Preston, D. and Selinker, L. (eds.), Variation in Second language Acquisition: Psycholinguistic issues. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar
Ellis, R. (1990). Instructed Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Blackwell.Google Scholar
Ervin-Tripp, S. (1978). Is second language learning like the first? In: Hatch (1978).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gatbonton, E. (1978). Patterned phonetic variability in second language speech: a gradual diffusion model. Canadian Modern Language Review, 34: 335–347.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goldman-Eisler, F. (1968). Psycholinguistics: Experiments in Spontaneous Speech. London, New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Gregg, K. (1984). Krashen' monitor and Occam' razor. Applied Linguistics, 5: 75–100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grosjean, F. (1980). Temporal variables within and between languages. In: Dechert, H. W. and Raupach, M. (eds.), Towards a Cross-Linguistic Assessment of Speech Production. Frankfurt, Bern, Cirencester, Lang.Google Scholar
Grosjean, F. and Deschamps, A. (1975). Analyse contrastive des variables temporelles du français et de l' anglais: vitesse de parole et variable composantes, phénomÈnes d'hésitation. Phonetica, 31: 144–184.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harley, B. (1986). Age in Second language Acquisition. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar
Hatch, E. (ed.) (1978). Second Language Acquisition: a book of readings. Rowley, Mass.: Newbury House.Google Scholar
Hawkins, R. (1990). variability in second language learning: the interaction of linguistic knowledge with language processing capacity. Ms., University of Essex.Google Scholar
Hulk, A. (1991). Parameter setting and the acquisition of word order in L2 French. Second Language Research, 6: 1–34.Google Scholar
Hulstijn, J. and Hulstijn, W. (1984). Grammatical errors as a function of processing constraints and explicit knowledge. Language Learning. 34: 24–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hyltenstam, K. and Pienemann, M. (eds.) (1988). Modelling and Assessing Second language Acquistion. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar
Johnson, J. and Newport, E. (1989). Critical period effects in second language learning: the influence of maturational state on the acquisition of English as a second language. Congnitive Psychology, 21: 60–99.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnson, J. and Newport, E. (1991). Critical period effects on universal properties of language learning: the status of subjacency in the acquisition of a second language. Ms., University of Virginia.Google Scholar
Kadia, K. (1988). The effect of formal instruction on monitored and spontaneous naturalistic interlanguage performance. TESOL Quarterly, 22: 509–515.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Karmiloff-Smith, A. (1986). From meta-process to conscious access: evidence from childern's metalinguistic and repair data. Cognition, 23: 95–147.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kellerman, E. (1985). U-shaped behaviour in advanced Dutch EFL learners. In: Gass, S. and Madden, C. (eds.), Input in Second Language Acquisition. Rowley, Mass., Newbury House.Google Scholar
Kellerman, E. and Sharwood-Smith, M. (eds.) (1986). Cross-Linguistic Influence in Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Pergamon.Google Scholar
Krashen, S. (1981). Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning. Oxford: Pergamon.Google Scholar
Krashen, S. (1982). Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Pergamon.Google Scholar
Krashen, S. (1985). The Input Hypothesis: Issue and Implications. London: Longman.Google Scholar
Larsen-Freeman, D. (1975). the acquisition of grammatical morphemes by adult ESl students. TESOL Quarterly, 26: 321–351.Google Scholar
Larsen-Freeman, D. and Long, M. (1991). An Introduction to Second Language Acquisition Research. London: Longman.Google Scholar
Lightbown, P. (1983). Exploring relationships between developmental and instructional sequences in L2 acquisition. In: Seliger and Long (1983).Google Scholar
Lightbown, P. (1985a). Great expectations: second language acquisition research and classroom teaching. Applied Linguistics, 6: 173–189.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lightbown, P. (1985b). Can language acquisition be altered by instruction? In: Hyltnstam and Pienemann (1988).Google Scholar
Lightbown, P. (1986). Input and acquisition for second language learners in and out of classrooms. Applied Linguistics, 7: 263–273.Google Scholar
Lightbown, P., Spada, N. and Wallace, R. (1980). Some effects of instruction on child and adolescent ESl learners. In: Scrcella and Krashen (1980).Google Scholar
Lococo, U. (1975). Analysis of Spanish and German learners' errors. Working Papers in Bilingualism, 7: 96–124.Google Scholar
Makino, T. (1980). Acquisition order of English morphemes by Japanese secondary school students. Journal of Hokkaido University of Education, 30: 101–148.Google Scholar
McLaughlin, B., (1987). Theories of Second Language Learning. London: Arnold.Google Scholar
Odlin, T. (1989). Language Transfer: cross-linguistic influence in language learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pica, T. (1983). Adult acquisition of English as a second language under different conditions of exposure. Language Learning, 33: 465–497.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pica, T. (1985). Linguistic simplicity and learnability: Implications for syllabus desing. In: Hyltenstem and Pienemann (1988).Google Scholar
Pienemann, M. (1984). Psychological constraints on the teachability of languages. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 6: 186–214.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pienemann, M. (1985). Learnability and Syllabus Construction. In: Hyltenstam and Pienemann (1988).Google Scholar
Pienemann, M. (1989). Is language teachable? Applied Linguistics, 10: 52–77.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raupach, M. (1984). Formulae in second language speech production. In: Dechert, W., Mohel, D. and Raupach, M. (eds.), Second Language Productions. Tübingen: Günter Narr.Google Scholar
Raupach, M. (1987). Procedural learning in advanced learners of a foreign language. In: Coleman and Towell (1987).Google Scholar
Scarcella, R. and Krashen, S. (eds.) (1980). Research in Second Language Acquisition. Rowely, Mass.. Newbury House.Google Scholar
Seliger, H. W. and Long, M. H., (eds.) (1983). Classroom Oriented Research in Second Language Acquisition. Rowely, Mass., Newbury House.Google Scholar
Selinker, L. (1972). Interlanguage. International Review of Applied Linguistics, 10: 209–231.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Selinker, L., Swain, M. and Dumas, G. (1975). The interlanguage hypothesis extended to children. Language Learning, 25: 139–152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Singleton, D. (1987). The fall and rise of language transfer. In:Coleman and Towell (1987).Google Scholar
Singleton, D. (1989). Language Acquisition: the Age Factor. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar
Skehan, P. (1989). Individual Differences in Second Language Learning. London: Arnold.Google Scholar
Snow, D., and Hoefnagel-Hohle, M. (1978). Age differences in second language acquisition. In: Hatch (1978).Google Scholar
Stowell, T. (1981). Origins of phrase structure. Unpublished Ph. D., MIT.Google Scholar
Tarone, E. (1988). Variation in Interlanguage. London: Arnold.Google Scholar
Tomaselli, A. and Schwartz, B. (1990). Analysing the acquisition stage of negation in L2 in German: Support for UG in adult SLA. Second Language Research, 6: 1–38.Google Scholar
Towell, R. (1987). Varibility and progress in the language development of advanced learners of a foreign language. In: Ellis (1987).Google Scholar
Towell, R. and Bazergui, N. (1991). Systematic and non-systematic variability in the non-instructed learning of the structure ‘c/il est + Adj + á/de + Infinitive’. Ms., University of Salford.Google Scholar
Valdman, A. (1975). Error analysis and pedagogical ordering. In: Corder, S. and Roulet, E. (eds.), Some Implications of Linguistic Theory for Applied Linguistics. Paris: Didier.Google Scholar
Weinert, R. (1987). Processes in classroom second language development: the acquisition of negation in German. In: Ellis (1987).Google Scholar
White, L. (1989). Universal Grammar and Second Language Acquisition. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
White, L. (1991a). Argument structure in second language acquisition. Journal of French Language Studies, 1: 189–207.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
White, L. (1991b). Adverb placement in second language acquisition: some effects of positive and negative evidence in the classroom. Second Language Research, 7: 133–161.Google Scholar
Zobl, H. (1980). The formal and developmental selectivity of L1 influence on L2 acquisition. Language Learning, 30: 43–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar