Syntactic complexity across proficiency and languages: L2 and L1 writing in Dutch, Italian and Spanish

Abstract

This study explores to what extent syntactic complexity as assessed by four types of complexity measures may vary in written, argumentative texts of L2 learners (A2‐B1) and native writers of Dutch, Italian and Spanish. All texts were assessed by calculating both overall complexity measures and more fine‐grained measures that focus on the type and number of coordinate and subordinate structures, and the use of post‐modifiers within the NP. The results of the study indicate that there is variation in the process of gradual complexification in written L2 production across proficiency levels, across languages, and between L2 and L1. In line with findings from earlier research, this study shows the importance of employing both general and more specific complexity measures for assessing syntactic growth in L2.

Measuring linguistic complexity in long‐term L2 speakers of English and L1 attriters of German

“…Hitherto, measures of morphology may generally have been neglected due to the large number of studies done on L2 English and English being a morphologically poor language where those measures are less informative. The current result confirms the need to take into account cross‐linguistic variation (De Clercq, ; Bernardini & Granfeldt, ; Kuiken & Vedder, ) and to establish reliable measures of morphological complexity (Pallotti, ).…”

Focused direct corrective feedback: Effects on the elementary English learners’ written syntactic complexity

“…For example, as Ortega (2015) stated, L1 is "a moderating variable of L2 syntactic complexity" (p. 84). This was also proved in Lu and Ai's (2015), Jiang, Bi, and Liu's (2019), Kuiken and Vedder's (2019), Khushik and Huhta's (2020) as well as Ströbel, Kerz, and Wiechmann (2020) studies. Further, genre/task/content also play roles in syntactic complexity in writing and L2 proficiency is also "a powerful source of influence that modulates syntactic complexity" (Ortega 2015, p. 88).…”

Syntactic and Lexical Complexity of Undergraduate Students’ Essays: A Comparison Study between L1 and L2 Writings

“…It is found that they tend to use combine two or more coordinate clause to make a long sentence. Other researchers also confirmed that the L2 learners used coordinate phrases in their L2 writings as frequent as their L1 writings (Kuiken & Vedder, 2019). That is why their mean length of clause are similar since they construct it from similar structure that is coordinate phrases.…”