What does the L2 learner “know”

· Interlanguage: The form of the target language that the L2 learner has “internalized”. The interlangauge grammar underlies the spontaneous utterances the L2 learner makes.

May differ from target language by:

o Containing rules from the L1 (e.g. V2 in German)

o Rules that over generalize (e.g. past = ‘ed’)

o Lacking certain sounds of the L2 (e.g. r/l)

o Lacking L2 rules altogether (e.g. progressive, flapping)

· Fossilization: The interlangauge stops developing before it matches the form of the target language.

o Happens even when the learner continues to receive L2 input

o Happens even when the learner speaks the L2 on a daily basis, even as the primary language of communication

o What reasons are there for this?

(We will talk about possible social reasons for this today)

Can fossilization happen in L1 acquisition?

Social Aspects of Second Language Learning

· Applicable to situations in which the target language is used as the language of daily communication

· Try to account for relative success and speed in SLA

I. Theories of Stylistic Variation

Stylistic continuum (Tarone)

Careful Style--------------------Vernacular Style

native: Superiors Peers

Unfamiliar Familiar

nonnative: Reading texts Extemporaneous speech

Is it socially motivated or is it due to processing time?

Accommodation Theory (Giles)

Convergence----------------------Divergence

native: Social Cohesion Social Divergence

Speech Similar Speech Different

nonnative: Integrate Separate Social Group

More L2 Learning Less L2 Learning

L2 acquisition: Long term convergence

II. The Acculturation Model (Schumann)

Acculturation: the process of becoming adapted to a new culture.

Pidginization occurs when different L1 groups develop a functionally reduced L2, based on limited access to a superstrate language, for certain restricted kind of referential inter-group communication.

A. Early L2 acquisition is a type of pidginization.

B. The extent to which Learners acculturate to the L2 community will predict the success of L2 acquisition.

C. Learners with a low degree of acculturation will persist in their pidgin variety of the L2

Factors contributing to acculturation:

· Social distance

o Social dominance (dominance, non-dominance, subordination)

o Integration pattern (assimilation, preservation)

o Enclosure (of the L1 group)

o Cohesiveness (of L1 group)

o Size (of L1 group)

o Cultural congruence (between L1 & L2)

o Attitudes (of L1 and L2 groups towards each other)

o Intended length of residence

· Psychological distance

o Motivation

o Culture shock

o Language shock

o Ego permeability