Although the study of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) started already in the late 1960s, there is still a lot of incongruency on the subject. Each person seems to differ in his/her respective SLA process, which makes it hard or even impossible to come to an overall truth about how SLA works. Although studies conducted in the last decades might not have led to any overall conclusion, they have verified and falsified different theories, showing that they do not hold true in every case.
From the myriad of different theories and resulting studies, a few will be discussed in connection to the SLA processes of two subjects, which are presented in this case study. In the first part of the paper, the language profiles of each of the two subjects will be analyzed, taking various theories into account and trying to come to an understanding of what have been the causes and effects of their respective language profiles. In the second part, both profiles will be compared. In the conclusion, the most important assumptions will be revised, and a final statement will be drawn.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Julia’s case
3. Carlo’s case
4. Comparison of both cases
4.1 L1-related differences
4.2 Universal Grammar
4.3 Universal influences
4.3.1 Age
4.3.2 Context and motivation
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the complex nature of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) by analyzing and comparing the language profiles of two distinct subjects, Julia and Carlo, in order to identify the causal factors—such as age, motivation, and environmental context—that influence their respective proficiency levels.
- Analysis of individual language profiles
- Comparison of L1-related differences and transfer
- Evaluation of the role of Universal Grammar in L2 learning
- Impact of age on the language acquisition process
- Influence of educational context and motivation on proficiency
Excerpt from the Book
2. Julia’s case
The first subject is Julia, an 8-year-old girl who lives in Germany. Her native language (NL) is both Japanese and German as her father addresses her in Japanese and her mother in German. This implies that she has two first languages (L1). Her parents speak English to each other, which adds another layer to her L1 as they occasionally speak in English to her as well.
This already complicates the discussion of Julia’s language profile, as it is possible to refer to English as her L1 and not completely as her second language (L2), as she has been exposed to it already in her first years of life. This would make her not a bilingual but a simultaneous multilingual person and lead to the question of whether she acquired or learned the English language. This is a highly debated topic, as Ortega (2013) clearly states that ‘in contemporary SLA terminology no’ (p. 5) clear-cut distinction between acquisition and learning can be made. It might be true that it is difficult to distinguish these two processes at times, but in this paper the distinction will be applied nevertheless as it is a crucial for the analysis of what has led to the two different proficiency levels of the subjects.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the ongoing academic debate surrounding Second Language Acquisition and outlines the methodology of using a case study approach to examine two specific language learners.
2. Julia’s case: This section details the profile of an 8-year-old multilingual girl, focusing on her early exposure to English and the blurred lines between language acquisition and learning.
3. Carlo’s case: This chapter analyzes the profile of a 30-year-old adult learner, highlighting his lack of intrinsic motivation and limited exposure to the target language in his daily life.
4. Comparison of both cases: This chapter synthesizes the findings by contrasting the two subjects through the lenses of L1 influence, Universal Grammar, age factors, and the intersection of context and motivation.
4.1 L1-related differences: This section discusses the potential impact of native languages on SLA, specifically comparing the linguistic backgrounds of the two subjects relative to English.
4.2 Universal Grammar: This part explores the theoretical debate on whether adult learners maintain access to an innate Universal Grammar during the process of acquiring a second language.
4.3 Universal influences: This chapter serves as an umbrella for examining variables such as age, environment, and cognition that broadly impact the acquisition process.
4.3.1 Age: This section evaluates the Critical Period Hypothesis and contrasting studies regarding whether younger learners hold a definitive advantage over older adult learners.
4.3.2 Context and motivation: This section examines how environmental factors and personal drive fundamentally shape the success or failure of second language development.
5. Conclusion: The final chapter summarizes that SLA is a deeply individualized process where universal influences and personal motivation outweigh simple differences between native and target languages.
Keywords
Second Language Acquisition, SLA, Language Profile, Multilingualism, Universal Grammar, Language Acquisition, Implicit Learning, Explicit Learning, Motivation, Age Factors, Language Proficiency, Contrastive Analysis, Input, Context, Communication
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the diverse factors affecting Second Language Acquisition by contrasting the language learning profiles of two subjects with very different backgrounds and environmental contexts.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
The central themes include the distinction between language acquisition and learning, the impact of motivation, the role of age, and the influence of the social and educational environment on proficiency.
What is the main research objective?
The goal is to understand the causes and effects of specific language profiles to determine why learners achieve different levels of proficiency in a second language.
Which scientific theories are utilized for the analysis?
The analysis draws on several theories, including the Contrastive Analysis Theory, the Universal Grammar (UG) hypothesis, the Fundamental Difference Hypothesis, the Affective Filter Hypothesis, and the Connectionist/emergentist models.
What topics are covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body covers individual case studies of an 8-year-old girl and a 30-year-old man, followed by a comparative analysis of their L1 backgrounds, access to universal grammar, age, motivation, and external input.
Which keywords define this study?
Key terms include Second Language Acquisition (SLA), language proficiency, implicit/explicit learning, motivation, and the impact of environmental context.
Why does the author struggle to categorize Julia's English as a second language?
Due to her early and consistent exposure at home and school, it is difficult to determine if Julia "learned" English or naturally "acquired" it alongside her other native languages.
Why does Carlo, the second subject, struggle to reach a B2 proficiency level?
Carlo’s low proficiency is attributed to a combination of limited exposure, a lack of intrinsic motivation, and a teaching environment that focuses on explicit learning without communicative necessity.
How does the author view the "Critical Period Hypothesis" in light of these cases?
The author concludes that age is not a definitive factor for success, as evidence shows that adults can achieve high proficiency levels provided they have sufficient input and strong motivation.
- Citar trabajo
- Stefanie Dalvai (Autor), 2018, Factors influencing the learning of a second language. An analysis of the language profiles of two subjects, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/456409
