Until today, there is no unified theory, which fully explains second language acquisition, even if some attempts of writing comprehensible
theories have been made. This research paper outlines the history of Second Language Acquistion, providing an overview of some of the most influential learning theories, such as the Natural Approach, Behaviorism, Error Analysis, Morpheme Studies, Krashen's Monitor Model, Universal Grammar and The Competition Model. The aim of the paper is to help the reader to better understand recent developments, find out if and to which extent theories have influenced each other, and to disclose similarities that go beyond the respective disciplinary boundaries. How much more do we know today about how languages are learned than we did over fifty or one hundred years ago?
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 A History of Second Language Acquisition
2.1 Nineteenth Century Reforms and the Natural Approach
2.2 Behaviorism
2.3 Error Analysis
2.4 Morpheme Studies and Krashen's Monitor Model
2.5 Nativism
2.5.1 Linguistic Nativism: Universal Grammar
2.5.2 Parameter Setting in Universal Grammar
2.6 Connectionist Approaches: The Competition Model
3 Similarities and Common Denominators in SLA Theories
4 Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper aims to provide an overview of influential theories in the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA), exploring their historical development, interdependencies, and common characteristics to address the fundamental question of how language learning has progressed over the last century.
- The historical evolution of language acquisition theories from the 19th century to the present.
- A critical analysis of Behaviorism, Nativism, and Connectionist approaches.
- The distinction between language input, intake, and conscious versus unconscious acquisition.
- Evaluation of Universal Grammar and the Competition Model in the context of SLA.
- Common denominators and the search for a unified theory in a diverse research field.
Excerpt from the Book
2.5.1 Linguistic Nativism: Universal Grammar
In recent years, one of the strongest linguistic influences on second language acquisition comes from the Universal Grammar approach. Developed by the American linguist Noam Chomsky, Universal Grammar aims to describe the process of first language acquisition and, to a certain degree, second language acquisition as well. He claims children are biologically programmed for language and language develops in the child in just the same way that other biological functions, such as walking, develop without the necessity of being taught. Universal Grammar is a property theory, which attempts to characterize this underlying linguistic knowledge.
Unlike behaviorism and later cognitive or emergentist theories, Universal Grammar starts from the perspective of learnability and assumes that the language system is a separate module in the brain, distinct from other forms of cognition. Thus, if children have to learn a complex set of abstractions, there must be a device, namely the language acquisition device, which enables them to learn a language with relative ease and speed. According to the theory, language consists of a set of abstract principles and parameters:
An example of a principle is that all languages have a basic structural feature called a phrase that consists of a head and its complement. A head can be a lexical item, such as a noun, verb, preposition, resulting in noun phrases, verb phrases, prepositional phrases, and so on. Thus, a man of few words is a noun phrase with man = head and of few words = complement. Such a principle is important because syntactic operations must obey structural relationships (another principle). So when a man of few words appears in a sentence, we cannot just move man but must move the entire noun phrase in order to maintain grammaticality. Thus, I saw a man of few words is questioned as Was a man of few words what you saw? And not *Was a man what you saw of few words?
Chapter Summaries
1 Introduction: This chapter defines the scope of the academic discipline of second language acquisition and highlights the difficulty of establishing a unified theory while setting the goal to explore historical development and common theoretical denominators.
2 A History of Second Language Acquisition: This section provides a chronological overview of key approaches, covering 19th-century reforms, Behaviorism, Error Analysis, Krashen's Monitor Model, Nativism, and Connectionist models.
2.1 Nineteenth Century Reforms and the Natural Approach: This chapter discusses early criticism of grammar-translation methods by figures like Wilhelm Viëtor, advocating for a focus on comprehension and target-language usage.
2.2 Behaviorism: This chapter examines the influence of structural linguistics and psychological behaviorism, which viewed language learning as the formation of habits through stimulus, response, and reinforcement.
2.3 Error Analysis: This chapter details Stephen Pit Corder’s shift in focus towards the learner’s internal processing, distinguishing between language input and intake.
2.4 Morpheme Studies and Krashen's Monitor Model: This chapter explores empirical evidence for systematic acquisition orders and outlines Krashen's influential hypotheses regarding the distinction between language learning and acquisition.
2.5 Nativism: This chapter introduces the nativist perspective, which assumes that language is an innate biological capacity separate from general cognition.
2.5.1 Linguistic Nativism: Universal Grammar: This chapter explains Chomsky’s Universal Grammar, focusing on the concepts of principles, parameters, and the language acquisition device.
2.5.2 Parameter Setting in Universal Grammar: This chapter investigates how children set language-specific parameters, such as head directionality, during the early stages of syntactic development.
2.6 Connectionist Approaches: The Competition Model: This chapter contrasts Universal Grammar with the Competition Model, which emphasizes how language is used and how cognitive processes resolve competing linguistic cues.
3 Similarities and Common Denominators in SLA Theories: This chapter synthesizes the previously discussed theories, noting their shared reliance on language input and the persistent challenge of scientific falsifiability.
4 Conclusion: The final chapter concludes that the discipline of SLA remains fragmented and suggests that rather than a single unified theory, researchers should continue to investigate distinct aspects of language acquisition.
Keywords
Second Language Acquisition, SLA, Behaviorism, Universal Grammar, Monitor Model, Competition Model, Linguistic Nativism, Language Acquisition Device, Morpheme Studies, Input Hypothesis, Error Analysis, Interlanguage, Structural Linguistics, Syntax, Language Learning.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this research paper?
The paper provides a critical overview of various theories and approaches to second language acquisition, tracing their historical progression and identifying common themes across different scientific disciplines.
Which theoretical frameworks are primarily analyzed?
The study covers Behaviorism, Nativism (specifically Universal Grammar), and Connectionist approaches, notably the Competition Model developed by MacWhinney and Bates.
What is the main objective of the research?
The primary goal is to help the reader understand how different theories have influenced each other, identify cross-disciplinary similarities, and evaluate whether contemporary SLA research has made significant progress in understanding language learning processes.
What methodology is employed in this study?
The research adopts a literature-based theoretical analysis, tracing the intellectual history of the field by examining seminal publications from the late 19th century through the 20th and early 21st centuries.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body systematically outlines historical shifts, starting from the 19th-century Reform Movement, through the rise of Behaviorism, the emergence of Error Analysis, the development of Krashen's Monitor Model, and the subsequent debates between Nativist and Connectionist views.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Second Language Acquisition, Universal Grammar, Behaviorism, the Competition Model, the Monitor Model, language acquisition device, and the distinction between language learning and acquisition.
How does the author define the relationship between Universal Grammar and SLA?
The author discusses the ongoing debate regarding whether second language learners have full access to the same language acquisition device that children use for their first language, highlighting that it remains a disputed area of research.
What does the Competition Model suggest about language processing?
The Competition Model posits that language processing relies on the "competition" of various linguistic cues (such as word order or intonation). It suggests that learners unconsciously assign weight to these cues based on their reliability in their native language.
What is the "poverty of the stimulus" argument mentioned in the text?
It is a Nativist thesis claiming that the linguistic input children receive is insufficient to explain the complexity of the grammatical rules they ultimately master, thus implying that humans must possess innate linguistic knowledge.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Bert Bobock (Autor:in), 2012, Similarities and Common Denominators in Second Language Acquisition Approaches, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/231245
