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Heejeong Ko, Alex Perovic, Tania Ionin, and Ken Wexler
118-129 (complete pdf)
This paper investigates how semantic universals of definiteness, specificity, and partitivity affect L2-article choice with two typologically different L1-groups: L1-Serbo-Croatian and L1-Korean learners of L2-English. The paper also examines whether different semantic factors contribute to L2-article choice equally. Based on experimental data, the paper argues that semantic universals are accessible to L2-learners regardless of their L1, but that some semantic factors may be more persistent than others in causing L2-article errors. The effects of each semantic factor may vary depending on learners' overall L2-proficiency. Specifically, it is argued that partitivity effects are more persistent than specificity effects; consequently, more advanced L2-learners are more sensitive to partitivity effects than specificity effects.
Published in:
Proceedings of the 9th Generative Approaches to Second Language Acquisition Conference (GASLA 2007)
edited by Roumyana Slabakova, Jason Rothman, Paula Kempchinsky, and Elena Gavruseva
Table of contents
ISBN 978-1-57473-422-5 library binding
v + 284 pages
publication date: 2008
published by Cascadilla Proceedings Project, Somerville, MA, USA