摘要:

In this paper, the problem of foreign or second language learning ability in adults is examined with special attention to the “critical period” hypothesis. Although data from several studies are reviewed, discussion centers around the appropriateness of traditional research methodology in the area.The author begins with a summary of the four most frequently discussed positions on foreign or second language aptitude as they appear in the literature. He then turns to methodological issues where he argues for a shift in orientation from macrocorrelational studies to more carefully controlled micro research which embodies the developmental null hypothesis. In the third portion of the paper, he discusses three studies he has conducted on second language learning ability in adults. The author concludes by enumerating the issues he views most important for future research. He reaffirms his claim that the optimal way to study the nature of language learning ability is to focus narrowly upon specific problems in idealized contexts where extralinguistic variables are reduced to a minimum in tightly controlled desi

ISSN:0023-8333    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-1770.1979.tb01066.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1979

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Two linguistic considerations essential for the successful teaching of English grammatical structure to students of English as a Second Language are noted. The first of these – that grammatical instruction given to ESL students must be linguistically complete – is taken as a fact which is universally recognized and 7 accepted by ESL structure teachers. The second – that linguistic complexity commonly varies in different manifestations of a given grammatical structure and that such varying complexity must be purposefully controlled and manipulated by the teacher of English structure – provides the focus for the present discussion.This viewpoint concerning the role of linguistic complexity in the teaching of English structure is introduced using as an example the English present continuous verb structure. On the basis of this example, common shortcomings found in the instructional programs of those structure teachers who fail to take considerations of linguistic complexity into account in their instruction are then cited. Two further examples ‐ one concerning the linguistic complexity of negation as it interacts with thesome/anydistinction in English, and one concerning the linguistic complexity found in English embedded sentences ‐ are introduced to provide additional support for the central theme of the paper: that the conscious manipulation of parameters of linguistic complexity is required for the successful teaching of English grammatica

ISSN:0023-8333    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-1770.1979.tb01067.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1979

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

This investigation examined the acquisition of five complex English syntactic structures by Egyptian and Israeli adult learners at different levels of proficiency. Carol Chomsky's methodology, as adapted by d'anglejan and Tucker, served to assess comprehension of these structures. The responses of the Egyptians and Israelis, which were similar to one another as well as to those of the French Canadians previously studied by d'anglejan and Tucker, suggest that first and second language learners of English encounter some of the same difficulties. Their responses also suggest that the creative construction hypothesis can be applied to second as well as to first language acquisition.

ISSN:0023-8333    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-1770.1979.tb01068.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1979

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

This paper reports on recent work in the acquisition of pragmatic competence in a second language. It centers on the speech act of requesting and the semantic strategies for conveying that speech act. First, a contrastive analysis of Spanish and English strategies is undertaken to show that basically the same strategies are available in both languages. The paper goes on to describe an experiment in which native speakers of each language were asked to judge the relative politeness of each strategy. It concludes with an examination of the frequency of use of the various strategies for conveying requests among a population of bilingual children. The findings show that, while basically the Same request strategies are available to speakers of Spanish and English, the use of those strategies differs markedly. More polite strategies are employed in speaking Spanish, while more neutral strategies are used in English.

ISSN:0023-8333    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-1770.1979.tb01069.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1979

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Ninety‐eight children whose first language is Hawaii Creole English (HCE) were examined over a period of time for their proficiency in both HCE and English, the medium of instruction in the Hawaii public school system. The hypothesis that the children could acquire English without a formal language program, and that they would maintain their first language was confirmed. For these kindergarten and first‐grade children, learning the dominant variety of the language in a bicultural/bidialectal environment did not appear to affect adversely performance in their first langu

ISSN:0023-8333    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-1770.1979.tb01070.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1979

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

The purpose of this investigation was to investigate the relation of a series of attitudinal/motivational variables to achievement in French of samples of Canadian and American adult students in an intensive French language program, and to assess the effects of the program on attitudes, motivation, and French proficiency. The results demonstrated an association between an attitudinal/motivational factor, referred to as an integrative motive, and French oral proficiency and reported satisfaction with the program for the sample of 89 Canadian students, but not for the 65 Americans, even though an integrative motive factor was obtained with both samples. Furthermore, both samples evidenced decreases in anxiety and attitudes toward bilingualism, and increases in French proficiency as a result of the program, while the American sample also demonstrated a decreased appreciation of the French Canadian community, and an increased desire to learn French. The results were interpreted as reflecting the role played by attitudes in the language learning situation, but attention was directed toward the significant influence the sociocultural background of the student can have on the nature of this role.

ISSN:0023-8333    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-1770.1979.tb01071.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1979

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Ninety‐six seven‐ and nine‐year‐olds were tested under four experimental conditions. A “distinctive label” group associated four different gender‐cued labels with four infants’ faces. An “equivalent label” group associated only two of these labels. There were also two no‐label groups: “differential perception” and “perception”. In the former, perceptual cues were provided; no cues were provided in the latter. The main measures were perception and discrimination learning tests. Nine‐year‐olds were not affected by the labels, seven‐year‐olds were, but more significantly during initial trials. A proposed explanation is that perception is affected by labels, perceptual learning and selective attention. These effects are determined developmentally. That is, as age increases the effects of verbal cues diminish and those of perceptual cues increase. The findings are related to cross‐cultural data, indicating that Israeli toddlers classify according to gender earlier than their American counterparts. This is probably because Hebrew more than English contains distin

ISSN:0023-8333    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-1770.1979.tb01072.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1979

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

It is generally accepted by both theoreticians and language teachers that when attempting to communicate in a second language, learners often “transfer” elements of their native language onto the speech patterns of the target language. Despite the wide recognition of this phenomenon and the important role it has had in language learning and pedagogical search, true nature has not been adequately established. In owner to better determine the nature of language transfer, a study investigating the acquisition of relative clauses by adult second language learners was conducted. The purposes of this study were to determine what language transfer consists of, what language phenomena are and are not transferred, what constitutes evidence for the existence of transfer and what the role in language transfer of language universals is. It was found that an adequate description of language transfer cannot be given without a consideration of target language facts and language universals. On the basis of these results a model of language transfer is proposed that predicts under which conditions transfer is most likely to occur. The model suggested herein includes notions of language universals, language distance and surface language phenom

ISSN:0023-8333    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-1770.1979.tb01073.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1979

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

The focus of this paper is on language transfer and a particular method of investigating it. Attempts to analyze the decision procedures underlying a learner's (or second language user's) attempts to structure utterances in a given target language in the light of some recent hypotheses about transfer should highlight the importance of the phenomenon and emphasise the dubiousness of a fairly standard view of transfer as a relatively simple mechanical procedure which the learner falls back on when more‘creative’ strategies f

ISSN:0023-8333    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-1770.1979.tb01074.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1979

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

This paper, a discussion of the model presented in Vigil and Otler (1976), relates to one parameter of “fossilization” in inter‐language (IL) learning: the role of “extrinsic feedback.” The notion of “extrinsic factors” in second language acquisition is defined, and permanentfossilizationis carefully distinguished from temporarystabilizationof IL forms and systems. Six tentative conclusions about the role of extrinsic feedback in IL fossilization are presented and discussed in light of the hypotheses made by Vi

ISSN:0023-8333    

DOI:10.1111/j.1467-1770.1979.tb01075.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1979

数据来源: WILEY