ERIC Number: EJ1211837
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Apr
Pages: 28
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0267-6583
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Selective Vulnerability in Very Advanced L2 Grammars: Evidence from VPE Constraints
Second Language Research, v35 n2 p225-252 Apr 2019
This study examines whether the second language acquisition (L2A) of syntactic properties at the interfaces is problematic for L2 learners. English verb phrase ellipsis (VPE) was tested as an interface property which involves feature interpretability. Two subtle contrasts of VPE at different grammar-internal interfaces were examined: (a) copula "be" and lexical verb ellipsis at the syntax-lexicon interface (*John is here, and Mary will too vs. John slept, and Mary will too), and (b) progressive "be" and perfective "have" stranding at the syntax-semantics interface (*John slept, and Mary was too vs. Peter saw your parents last week, but he hasn't since). Unlike (a), the contrast in (b) requires identifying (un)interpretable features on "-ing" and "-en" to recover the semantics of the elided material. Since Saudi Arabic does not license VPE, (very-)advanced English L2 speakers whose first language (L1) is Saudi Arabic were tested. The results from a bimodal timed acceptability judgment task showed they were more target-like on the contrast at the syntax-lexicon interface than they were on the syntax-semantics interface. They particularly deviated from target-like judgments on "have" stranding which requires recognizing the perfective uninterpretable feature on "-en." These results suggest selective vulnerability at grammar-internal interfaces whenever uninterpretable features are involved.
Descriptors: Grammar, Second Language Learning, Semantics, Syntax, English (Second Language), Verbs, Phrase Structure, Semitic Languages, Advanced Students, Decision Making, Task Analysis, Foreign Countries, Graduate Students, Morphology (Languages)
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Saudi Arabia; United Kingdom
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A