This paper is going to provide an insight into contrasts between the English and German language. Due to a shared origin from the Indo-European languages, the two languages are perceived to be similar enough to have sufficient things in common in order to establish comparability but are at the same time also distinctive enough to show significant contrasts. The essential theme of this paper argues that English and German may exhibit formal parallels on the surface, however, accommodate very different underlying usages and internal structures. Due to a limited length of this paper the discussion of contrasts is restricted to the resultative and narrative usage of the Present Perfect tense as well as to declarative main clauses in the syntax.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Differences in the Present Perfect tense
3. Differences in Declarative Main Clauses
4. Theoretical background
4.1. The Universal Grammar approach
4.2. The Competition Model
5. Conclusion and Future Outlook
Objectives and Topics
This paper explores the contrastive linguistic differences between the English and German languages, specifically focusing on the usage of the Present Perfect tense and the syntax of declarative main clauses. By applying theoretical frameworks such as Universal Grammar and the Competition Model, the study investigates why these languages, despite sharing Indo-European roots, exhibit significant structural and functional divergences.
- Contrastive analysis of the Present Perfect tense usage in English and German.
- Examination of syntactic structures in declarative main clauses and word order variation.
- Application of the Universal Grammar (Principle-and-Parameter) approach to language acquisition.
- Evaluation of the Competition Model regarding cue-based sentence processing.
- Analysis of potential learner errors based on L1 transfer patterns.
Excerpt from the Book
Differences in Declarative Main Clauses
Similar to the usage of the Present Perfect, the German and English word orders seem to exhibit strong parallel structures at first glance. However, at second glance there are striking underlying differences when it comes to their internal structures. A good way to exemplify is contrasting the structures of declarative main clauses.
The syntax in English declarative sentences, no matter if main or subordinate clauses, is shaped by a highly fixed word order following S-V-O. In strict SVO languages, the subject always precedes the verb. Even if objects, adverbial phrases or prepositional phrases take over the sentence-initial position, the subject still precedes the verb. In simple main clauses, the German and English order of constituents may seem identical (compare (6a & 6b)). However, as soon as main clauses in German become more complex, their sentence structures start to differ significantly (compare (7a & 7b)).
(6) a. JohnS completedV a novelO.
b. JohnS vollendeteV einen RomanO.
(7) a. Last Monday JohnS completedV his novelO.
b. Letzten Montag vollendeteV JohnS seinen RomanO.
With English following strict SVO, the subject John still precedes the verb which is followed by the object. An investigation of its German counterpart highlights the distinctive underlying syntactical structures. In German main clauses, the finite verb always takes over the second position in a sentence, no matter if an adverbial phrase or an object is in the sentence-initial position or if the subject precedes or follows the finite verb. Hence, German can be classified rather as a V2-language in main clauses (König & Gast, Word Order and sentence types, 2012, p.194). In other words, it is the finite and non-finite verb that “are (the) basic anchoring points of constituent order in German” (König & Gast, Word Order and sentence types, 2012, p.196).
Chapter Summary
1. Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of the similarities and differences between the English and German languages, setting the scope for the subsequent contrastive analysis.
2. Differences in the Present Perfect tense: This section examines the functional and usage-based distinctions between the English Present Perfect and the German Perfekt, highlighting their varying connections to the moment of utterance.
3. Differences in Declarative Main Clauses: This chapter analyzes syntactic divergence, specifically focusing on the rigid SVO structure in English versus the flexible, V2-based word order in German.
4. Theoretical background: This chapter introduces and applies the Universal Grammar approach and the Competition Model to explain language acquisition and processing differences.
5. Conclusion and Future Outlook: This concluding section summarizes the primary findings and discusses the remaining challenges in the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA).
Keywords
Contrastive Linguistics, Present Perfect, Declarative Main Clauses, Universal Grammar, Competition Model, SVO, V2-language, Language Acquisition, Syntax, Word Order, Parameter-and-Principle Theory, Verb-Raising, Morphological Case System, L1A, Linguistic Cues
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines the contrastive linguistic differences between English and German, specifically focusing on how seemingly parallel structures in tense and syntax actually reflect deeper, distinctive underlying mechanisms.
Which areas of linguistics are analyzed in detail?
The study focuses on the resultative and narrative usage of the Present Perfect tense and the syntactical structures found in declarative main clauses.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to demonstrate that English and German exhibit significant functional and structural differences despite their shared Indo-European origins, thereby identifying potential difficulty areas for German speakers learning English.
What scientific models are applied?
The author uses the Universal Grammar (Principle-and-Parameter) approach and the Competition Model (CM) to explain how languages are acquired and processed.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
The main body contrasts the two languages using linguistic data and applies theoretical models to explain why these differences occur, particularly regarding verb positioning and cue reliance.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Contrastive Linguistics, Present Perfect, SVO, V2-language, Universal Grammar, and the Competition Model.
How does the "Competition Model" explain sentence interpretation?
The model argues that humans process sentences by weighing competing linguistic cues—such as syntax and morphology—to determine grammatical relations with the highest probability.
Why is the case system important for German sentence structure?
Because German word order is more flexible than in English, the case system acts as a crucial cue for identifying the subject, whereas English relies primarily on fixed word order.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding language acquisition?
The author concludes that while there are competing theories, there is currently no single, unambiguous model that fully explains how language parameters are set or transferred during second language acquisition.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Jenny Streb (Autor:in), 2017, A Contrastive Analysis of the English and the German Present Perfect Tense and their Main Declarative Clauses, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/428611
