All students in the seminar “Language Acquisition” (SS 07) are obligated to write a term paper about an issue which fits into the course subject matter. In this case, the topic “The Role of Universal Grammar in Second Language Acquisition” was chosen. The seminar deals with both, first and second language acquisition. The main focus lies on German and English. However, the course is not supposed to deal with a contrastive view but rather a descriptive way of analyzing language acquisition in general and with a specific concentration on English. The following term paper, primarily, deals with second language acquisition and the Role of Universal Grammar (UG) in the course of the on-going acquisition process. The UG approach is an issue which is often discussed within the linguistic science and the opinions about it are highly diverged. Not only in Second Language Acquisition (SLA), but also in First Language Acquisition the Universal Grammar approach is often seen as not verified, or on the other hand, as opposed to, it is viewed as the only solution to the mysterious question of language acquisition. This term paper defines the essential different sights of UG and its role in the process of SLA. The main question of the paper is:” Does UG plays a role in SLA and if so, what kind of role?” Another issue is whether only UG influences SLA or the first language governs acquisition of a second language. Some researchers even state that there is no UG in language acquisition and others say that UG is ‘dead’ in SLA. There are a bunch of opinions on this topic and all of them show evidence, more or less persuasive. It is not possible to explain all the different aspects of research and all the data and experiments concerning UG and SLA in this term paper. Nevertheless, this paper describes some of the essential views on how UG plays a role in SLA and additionally what kind of influence first language (L1) can possibly have on the process of SLA. Considering L1, UG and L2 is necessary because L1 acquisition is definitely different from SLA. Bilingual aspects are not considered in this context. To describe and define the most important expressions, the paper starts with definitions, before the so-called Logical Problem of Language Acquisition and the differences between L1 and L2 acquisition are portrayed. The main part is about the Role of L1 (transfer) and the access to UG in SLA.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Definitions.
- 2.1 Universal Grammar.
- 2.2 Interlanguage Grammar
- 2.3 Competence and Performance...
- 3. Poverty-of-the-Stimulus Argument (Logical Problem of Language Acquisition)
- 3.1 Deficient Input………………………….
- 4. Differences between L1 and L2 acquisition...
- 4.1 Success and Fossilization
- 4.2 Critical Period Hypothesis (Age).
- 5. Role of the L1 (transfer) and Access to UG in SLA.
- 5.1 Mother-tongue-grammar (Full transfer/No access)...
- 5.2 UG-is-dead hypothesis (Partial transfer/No access)..\n
- 5.3 Combination of complete L1 and parts of UG (Full transfer/partial access)
- 5.4 Parts of L1 combined with complete UG (Partial transfer/Full access)..........\n
- 5.5 Complete L1 arranged with complete UG (Full transfer/Full access)
- 5.6 Pure UG hypothesis (No transfer/Full access)
- 5.7 Parts of L1, Parts of UG and general learning strategies (Partial transfer/Partial access)
- 6. Conclusion.......
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This term paper examines the role of Universal Grammar (UG) in the process of Second Language Acquisition (SLA). It explores the debate surrounding UG's influence on SLA, considering both its potential role and the arguments against it. The paper investigates the impact of the first language (L1) on SLA, and evaluates various theories concerning the relationship between L1, UG, and L2.
- Defining Universal Grammar and Interlanguage Grammar
- The role of UG in both L1 and L2 acquisition
- The impact of the first language on second language acquisition
- Evaluating different hypotheses regarding the access to and role of UG in SLA
- Exploring the differences between L1 and L2 acquisition, including factors like success and fossilization
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Chapter 1 introduces the topic of the term paper, highlighting the focus on UG's role in SLA. It addresses the broader context of language acquisition and the significance of UG in the field of linguistics. The chapter also defines the central research question: "Does UG play a role in SLA and if so, what kind of role?".
Chapter 2 defines key concepts, including Universal Grammar (UG), Interlanguage Grammar (ILG), and the distinction between Competence and Performance in language acquisition. It discusses the principles and parameters of UG, and how they influence the acquisition process. This chapter provides a foundation for understanding the subsequent chapters, which delve deeper into the complexities of SLA.
Chapter 3 introduces the Poverty-of-the-Stimulus Argument, a key challenge to traditional theories of language acquisition. This argument posits that the input learners receive is insufficient to account for the full complexity of language. It emphasizes the need for innate mechanisms like UG to explain language learning. The chapter explores the limitations of deficient input in facilitating language acquisition.
Chapter 4 examines the differences between L1 and L2 acquisition. It discusses concepts like success and fossilization in SLA, as well as the Critical Period Hypothesis, which suggests that there is a sensitive period for language acquisition. This chapter sheds light on the unique challenges faced by L2 learners, and how these challenges relate to the role of UG.
Chapter 5 delves into the heart of the research question by exploring the role of the L1 (transfer) and access to UG in SLA. It analyzes various theoretical approaches, including the 'mother-tongue-grammar' hypothesis, the 'UG-is-dead' hypothesis, and different combinations of L1 and UG influence. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the different perspectives on the interplay between L1, UG, and L2.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Universal Grammar (UG), Second Language Acquisition (SLA), Interlanguage Grammar (ILG), Competence and Performance, Poverty-of-the-Stimulus Argument, Critical Period Hypothesis, First Language Transfer, Access to UG, L1 and L2 Acquisition, Success and Fossilization.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Henner Kaatz (Autor:in), 2007, The role of universal grammar in second language acquisition, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/90841
