The intention of this thesis is to show the differences between L1 and L2 acquisition. The focus here is on the acquisition of relative clauses, which is mastered comparatively late by both L1 and L2 learners due to its complexity.
The first part of the thesis is theoretical and will provide an overview of how children acquire relative clauses in German as their mother tongue, and how that differs from young children and adults learning relative constructions in German as a second language. In the second part, an empirical-qualitative corpus analysis will be carried out. For this purpose, test examples from the MERLIN corpus were used with focus on the production of relative clause sentences written by L2 learners. The results of the corpus analysis will be compared with the theories found in relevant literature. In addition, the MERLIN corpus is intended to provide insights into the written application of relative clause structures in L2 learners.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Theoretical Reference Framework
2.1 Important Terms
2.1.1 Mother tongue and first language, L1
2.1.2 Foreign language (FL) and second language, L2
2.2 Language characteristics of German with focus on relative clauses
2.2.1 The correct word order in German
2.2.2 The properties of the relative clause in German
2.2.3 The relative clause and the verb bracket
2.3 L1-acquisition of the relative clause structure
2.3.1 Acquisition of the structure of relative clauses
2.3.2 Acquisition of the relative clause
2.3.3 Studies relevant to relative clauses
2.4 L2-acquisition of the relative clause structure
2.4.1 The critical or sensitive period
2.4.2 (Early) child L2 learners
2.4.3 Youth and adult L2 learners
2.4.4 Differences between L1- and L2 learners
3. Practical Part: Empirical-qualitative corpus analysis
3.1 Presentation of the German learning corpus MERLIN and CEFR
3.2 Methodological approach
3.3 Quantitative corpus analysis of the subordinate clauses
3.4 Qualitative and quantitative analysis of relative clauses
3.4.1 Examples for correct subordinate clauses
3.4.2 Error in the subordinate clause bracket (sentence position error)
3.4.3 Correlation of reference word and relative pronoun
3.4.4 Conjunction „dass“ instead of relative pronouns der/die/das
3.4.5 Complexity of relative clauses
4. Conclusion and practical application
4.1 Possible applications in German lessons (all levels)
Objectives and Research Themes
This thesis investigates the acquisition of relative clauses in German, comparing the processes in L1 (mother tongue) and L2 (second language) learners. It aims to clarify how these complex structures are mastered at different ages and through different cognitive mechanisms, ultimately utilizing an empirical-qualitative analysis of the MERLIN corpus to identify common learner errors and provide pedagogical recommendations.
- Theoretical comparison of L1 and L2 language acquisition.
- Syntax of German subordinate clauses and the role of the verb bracket.
- Empirical analysis of error patterns in L2 learner productions using the MERLIN corpus.
- Pedagogical strategies for teaching complex sentence structures in German as a foreign or second language.
Excerpt from the Book
3.4.2 Error in the subordinate clause bracket (sentence position error)
In their work Ziegler and Thurner (2015:190) „Syntaktische Fehlerquellen im DaZ-Unterricht“ pointed out the special feature of the subordinate clause parenthesis:
„Die Nebensatzklammer nimmt im Deutschen dabei gegenüber den übrigen Klammertypen insofern eine Sonderstellung ein, da nicht funktional, sondern nur syntaktisch zusammengehörende Elemente in Distanzstellung treten. Die charakteristische Spannung wird zwischen der nebensatz einleitenden Subjunktion oder dem Relativpronomen und dem endgereihten Verbalkomplex aufgebaut, wobei erst der rechte Klammerrand die zuvor gegebenen Informationen vereindeutigt und komplettiert.“
This means that the right edge of the verb bracket in the relative clause is of particular importance. This is because it contains the relevant information, namely the finite part of the predicate. The typical German relative clause is therefore produced by the relative pronoun in the first position and the finite verb in the last position. If there are deviations from this word order, this leads to irritation for the recipient, as the following examples show. In the error analysis, a distinction is made between one-part and multi-part predicates and the exact position in which they are realized in the relative clause.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the motivation for the study, focusing on the differences between L1 and L2 acquisition and the research questions regarding relative clause mastery.
2. Theoretical Reference Framework: Establishes definitions of mother tongue, foreign, and second languages, while detailing German syntax, verb brackets, and developmental milestones for both L1 and L2 learners.
3. Practical Part: Empirical-qualitative corpus analysis: Describes the methodology for analyzing the MERLIN corpus, focusing on error patterns in subordinate and relative clauses among L2 learners.
4. Conclusion and practical application: Summarizes the findings on error frequency and complexity, concluding with evidence-based suggestions for teaching relative clauses in German classrooms.
Keywords
Relative clauses, German syntax, L1 acquisition, L2 acquisition, MERLIN corpus, verb bracket, subordinate clauses, error analysis, morphosyntax, critical period, language teaching, DaF, DaZ, sentence structure, linguistics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The work primarily focuses on the acquisition of German relative clauses, examining the syntactic challenges they present to both native speakers (L1) and learners of German as a second language (L2).
What are the central thematic fields explored?
The thesis covers theoretical linguistic frameworks, the development of syntactic competence in children and adults, the specific nature of the German "verb bracket" (Verbklammer), and empirical corpus analysis of learner errors.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to determine how L1 and L2 learners acquire relative clause constructions, how these processes differ, and what insights can be drawn for more effective language instruction.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The study employs a literature review to establish a theoretical framework, followed by an empirical-qualitative analysis of 218 example sentences extracted from the MERLIN corpus.
What content is covered in the main section?
The main part analyzes subordinate clause structures, identifies specific error categories (such as verb position errors or case inaccuracies), and evaluates the complexity of different relative clause types.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include relative clauses, German syntax, L1/L2 acquisition, MERLIN corpus, verb bracket, error analysis, and pedagogical strategies for DaF/DaZ instruction.
Why is the "verb bracket" important for understanding relative clauses?
The verb bracket is a structural feature of German where the finite verb is placed at the end of the subordinate clause. Mastered late by learners, its incorrect placement often leads to significant misunderstandings of the sentence's meaning.
How does the age of the learner affect the acquisition of relative clauses?
The thesis discusses the "critical period" hypothesis, suggesting that while children might acquire structures through implicit mechanisms, adults often rely on deductive strategies and face greater difficulties mastering verb-final positions.
- Citation du texte
- Anonym (Auteur), 2021, First and Second Language Acquisition of German Relative Clauses, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1024789
