Syntactic complexity at multiple proficiency levels of L2 German speech

Abstract

Syntactic complexity, along with accuracy and fluency, has been proposed as an essential construct in the description of second language proficiency. This study examined three dimensions of complexity using oral data from learners of German at the intermediate, advanced, and superior proficiency levels. The data were examined for complexity by subordination, complexity by coordination, and phrasal complexity. The results showed that all three complexity measures showed different patterns of use as proficiency level rises, which supports the understanding of complexity as a multi-dimensional construct. The results also showed that mean clause length was the most useful measure for distinguishing between adjacent proficiency levels. Keywords IntroductionThe study of complexity in learner language has received increased attention in recent years, especially in the context of how it may interact with the development of fluency and accuracy and compete with them for attentional resources (Skehan 2003). One of the foremost challenges in the study of complexity is how to measure it accurately. Norris and Ortega (2009) argued that many measures of complexity employed in recent research are redundant, and that many studies are insufficiently clear about how the measurements they use are related to the construct of complexity.This study attempts to fill in several gaps in the current research on L2 complexity by using a carefully considered approach to its measurement on a bs_bs_banner different type of data than in previous studies. Specifically, the study will examine three different complexity measures that correspond to three different sub-constructs of complexity proposed in the literature. Unlike previous studies that employ only single measures of complexity using written data from a single proficiency level of learners of English, for instance, this study focuses on spoken German data at multiple proficiency levels for evidence of complexity by subordination, complexity by coordination, and mean length of clause. This approach reveals different patterns of complexity across proficiency levels.

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

“…Hirano () found that the ratio of dependent clauses to total clauses increased with proficiency level, but no relation could be established between the number of dependent clauses per clause and the proficiency level of the learners. Contrary to Hirano's results, Neary‐Sundquist () detected significant differences in complexity by subordination between the intermediate, advanced, and highly advanced L2 participants of the study.…”

“…Lu () and Ai and Lu (), instead, found no significant differences between L2 proficiency levels. In line with the latter findings, Neary‐Sundquist () found no significant differences in the rate of coordination between intermediate, advanced and highly advanced L2 learners. Despite this lack of significant differences between proficiency levels, the outcomes of the study by Neary‐Sundquist appeared to confirm the developmental “omega‐shaped” pattern suggested by Wolfe‐Quintero et al (), which is to say a decrease of coordination at higher proficiency levels in favour of subordination and, similarly, a decline of subordination in favour of phrasal complexity at the superior levels.…”

“…On the basis of the findings of the studies that have been discussed above (e.g., Bardovi‐Harlig, ; Bartning & Schlyter, ; Neary‐Sundquist, ; Norris & Ortega, ; Ortega, ; Pallotti, ; Véronique, ; Wolfe‐Quintero et al, ), regarding our first research question (RQ1) we expect to find significant correlations between overall syntactic complexity and L2 proficiency. As hypothesised by Norris and Ortega (), an increase of L2 proficiency should result in learners using more coordinate and subordinate clauses at intermediate levels of L2 proficiency, but less at more advanced levels.…”

“…An example of an alternative indice of noun phrase complexity has been proposed by Ravid and Berman (2010), which takes into account length of noun phrases, number of noun phrase modifier tokens, number of modifier types, number of subordinated lexical nouns, and abstractness of lexical head nouns (see also Lambert & Nakamura, this issue). On the basis of the findings of the studies that have been discussed above (e.g., Bardovi-Harlig, 1992;Bartning & Schlyter, 2004;Neary-Sundquist, 2016;Norris & Ortega, 2009;Ortega, 2003;Pallotti, 2009;Véronique, 2004;Wolfe-Quintero et al, 1998), regarding our first research question (RQ1) we expect to find significant correlations between overall syntactic complexity and L2 proficiency. As hypothesised by Norris and Ortega (2009), an increase of L2 proficiency should result in learners using more coordinate and subordinate clauses at intermediate levels of L2 proficiency, but less at more advanced levels.…”

“…Our second research question concerns the comparison of syntactic complexity in written L2 and L1 production. Based on Ferrari and Pallotti (), Pallotti (), Kormos (), Lambert and Kormos (), and Neary‐Sundquist (), our hypothesis is that L2 learners will use more coordination, but less subordination and fewer post‐modifying noun phrases than native speakers.…”