This paper examines the article system in interlanguage grammar focusing on Russian L1 teachers of English L2, whose native language lacks articles. Conclusions made would help teachers know the future steps to be taken in assisting students in becoming proficient in English and also to improve the proficiency of Russian L1 teachers of English L2, who usually do not have an opportunity to spend some time abroad.
English possess overt system of articles (a/an, the). Although Russian does not employ article system, it will be argued that Russian definiteness and indefiniteness as semantic features are hidden in the syntax and lexis of this language.
It will be hypothesized that Russian L1 teachers of English L2 will make articles substitution and omission errors, which are resulted from the first language interference (L1 transfer). It will be also suggested that as all the test participants belong to the advanced group of learners they will acquire articles in the following order Ø > a> the. These suggestions will further be supported empirically by a fill-in-the article task.
It will be concluded that Russian L1 teachers of English L2 understand the system of the English articles fairly well, but due to their L1 transfer, which does not possess the system of articles they have trouble understanding how to use articles with abstract nouns or in the context of generalisation. Majority of test participants have made more than one articles substitution and omission errors.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Previous research
- Theoretical background
- Definiteness and Indefiniteness in English and Russian
- Deviation of L2 articles production from L2 language norms
- Methodology
- Participants
- Test Instrument and Procedures
- Measure System
- Results
- Discussion of Results
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper focuses on the acquisition of the English article system by Russian L1 teachers of English L2, whose native language lacks articles. The study aims to shed light on the process of acquiring definite and indefinite articles in a second language, specifically how L1 transfer influences this process, and what implications it holds for teaching English as a Second Language.
- The role of L1 transfer in the acquisition of English articles by Russian L1 learners.
- The acquisition order of definite, indefinite, and zero articles in English by Russian L1 teachers.
- The challenges faced by L1 Russian learners of English L2 in understanding the use of articles with abstract nouns and in contexts of generalization.
- The importance of teachers' self-reflection on their own knowledge of English articles to improve their teaching practices.
- The impact of L1 transfer on the variability of L2 articles production even in advanced learners.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter establishes the research question and hypothesis. It highlights the limited research on the acquisition of articles by L1 Russian learners of English, and emphasizes the importance of understanding this process for teachers. It also explores the difficulties experienced by Russian learners with the English article system due to the absence of articles in their native language. The chapter concludes by stating the research question and hypothesis of the study.
- Previous research: This chapter reviews existing research on the acquisition of articles in L2 English. It discusses studies by various researchers, including Ionin, Ko, and Wexler; Goad and White; Maria del Pilar Garcia Mayo; and Danijela Trenkic. The chapter highlights key findings about the challenges faced by learners from languages without articles, such as article omission and substitution errors.
- Theoretical background: This chapter provides a theoretical framework for understanding the concepts of definiteness and indefiniteness in both English and Russian. It compares the overt marking of definiteness and indefiniteness in English through articles to the implicit marking in Russian through word order and context. The chapter also discusses the significance of the functional category D (determiner) in English grammar and its implications for L2 learners.
- Methodology: This chapter describes the participants, test instrument, procedures, and measure systems used in the study. The participants consisted of 10 Russian L1 teachers of English L2 with an advanced level of proficiency. The test involved a gap-fill task using 30 sentences requiring the appropriate article. The chapter also explains the use of two measure systems, SOC and TLU, for assessing the accuracy of article use.
- Results: This chapter presents the findings of the study based on the SOC and TLU measure systems. The data revealed that even advanced learners made article omission and substitution errors. The chapter discusses the accuracy rates of using different articles (definite, indefinite, and zero article) and their acquisition order according to each measure system.
- Discussion of Results: This chapter analyzes the findings of the study, highlighting the types of errors made by the participants, such as article substitution and omission. It discusses the specific examples of errors and provides explanations based on the theoretical background of definiteness and indefiniteness. The chapter also compares the findings with previous research, focusing on the acquisition order of articles and the prevalence of errors in advanced learners.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This study focuses on the acquisition of definite and indefinite articles of English by Russian L1 teachers of English as L2. The primary focus is on the impact of L1 transfer on the acquisition process and the variability in L2 articles production observed in even advanced learners. The study also explores the acquisition order of different articles and the challenges faced by L2 learners in understanding the use of articles with abstract nouns or in contexts of generalization.
- Quote paper
- Viktoriia Donchuk (Author), 2015, The acquisition of definite and indefinite articles by L1 Russian learners of L2 English, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/334203
