Object pronouns in German L3 syntax: Evidence for the L2 status factor

Abstract

Several studies on L3 lexicon, and recently also some on L3 syntax, have convincingly shown a qualitative difference between the acquisition of a true L2 and the subsequent acquisition of an L3. Some studies even indicate that L2 takes on a stronger role than L1 in the initial state of L3 syntax (e.g. Bardel and Falk, 2007; Rothman and Cabrelli Amaro, 2010). In this article we further investigate syntactic transfer from L1/L2 to L3 in learners at an intermediate level of proficiency in the target language. Data have been obtained from 44 learners of German as L3, testing the placement of object pronouns in both main and subordinate clauses in a grammaticality judgement/correction task (GJCT). The learners constitute two groups (both n = 22): One group has English as L1 and French as L2 and the other group has French as L1 and English as L2. This particular combination of background languages allows us to pinpoint the source of transfer, since object placement is pre-verbal in French and post-verbal in English, this being applied in both main and subordinate clauses. In target language (TL) German, however, the object placement varies between pre-verbal in the sub clause and post-verbal in the main clause. The two groups behave differently as to both acceptance and rejection of the test items (60 grammatical and ungrammatical main and sub clauses with object pronouns). This difference is significant and can be ascribed to their L2s, respectively. Our results thus show that the L2 transfers into the L3 even at an intermediate level, and on the basis of this we claim a strong role for the L2 status factor.

The Acquisition of French (L3) Coda Consonant Clusters by English (L2) Learners Speakers of Persian (L1): An Optimality Account

“…In fact, the obtained results provide support for L2 status factor hypothesis that is also advocated in the following L3 syntax studies: Bardel & Falk (2007), Falk & Bardel (2011), Leung (as cited in Jaensch, 2010), Rothman & Amaro (2010). Therefore, the results provided a strong role for L2 as a major source of transfer in the initial states of L3 acquisition process and this is mainly in accordance with the studies done in L3 phonology by Williams & Hammarberg (1998) and Wrembel (2010).…”

“…In discussing syntactic transfer from L1/L2 to L3, a study was carried out by Falk & Bardel (2011) on the acquisition of the placement of object pronouns in both main and subordinate clauses. Data was collected from two groups of learners with L1 English/L2 French/L3 German and L1 French/L2 English/L3 German background languages.…”

The role of native and non-native grammars in the comprehension of possessive pronouns

“…#Herr Hoffmann suchte ihre Nachbarin, 'Herr Hoffmann looked for her neighbor'). Following previous work, a threshold of 75% accuracy or higher was used to determine mature knowledge (Foote, 2009;Hsien-jen Chin, 2009;Falk & Bardel, 2011). An experimental session lasted approximately 70 minutes.…”

“…By contrast, other accounts propose that speakers' L2 knowledge affects La acquisition to a larger extent than their L1 (Bardel & Falk, 2007Falk & Bardel, 2011;Falk, Lindqvist, & Bardel, 2015). These accounts observe that L2 grammars are acquired in a metalinguistic manner, frequently with some explicit language instruction or in classroom settings.…”

“…While much research has examined the role of L1 and L2 grammars in La production (Bohnacker, 2006;Bardel & Falk, 2007;Flynn, Foley & Vinnitskaya, 2004;García Mayo, Ibarrola & Liceras, 2005;Leung, 2003Leung, , 2005Leung, , 2007, comprehension studies have only recently been conducted (Amaro, Amaro & Rothman, 2015;Falk & Bardel, 2011;Hermas, 2010Hermas, , 2014Rothman & Cabrelli Amaro, 2010;Sanz, Park & Lado, 2015;Westergaard, Mitrofanova, Mykhaylyk & Rodina, 2017). But so far, comprehension work has mostly used untimed metalinguistic paradigms, and little is known about how prior grammatical knowledge affects La online processing.…”