Language teachingLesson 3 of 4 in the course Second language acquisition

Interlanguage: Structure, Variation, and Development in L2 Learning

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Interlanguage is the developing linguistic system a person builds while learning a second language. This lesson introduces its defining features, explains how it differs from older accounts of learner errors, and traces the development of the theory.

An interlanguage is an individual learner’s language system, or idiolect, as they acquire a second language (L2). It may preserve features of the learner’s first language (L1), while also applying L2 rules too broadly. These influences combine into a linguistic organization that is distinctive to that learner and shaped by their experiences with L2.

All flashcards

Interlanguage
An individual learner’s developing linguistic system for using a second language.
L1 transfer
The influence of a learner’s first-language knowledge on their developing use of a second language.
Overgeneralization
Applying an L2 pattern too broadly, including where the target language does not use it.
Fossilization
A cessation or freezing of interlanguage development at a particular stage.
U-shaped learning
A pattern in which accurate use is followed by apparent regression and later renewed accuracy.

Quiz questions

  1. Why did learner-language research move beyond contrastive analysis as the sole explanation of L2 errors?Answer: Researchers found learner behaviors that could not be explained simply by L1 transfer.
  2. A learner and a native speaker use different sentences to convey the same meaning. What can this comparison suggest?Answer: The learner is using a linguistic system distinct from the target-language system.
  3. What distinguishes systematic variation in a learner’s language?Answer: Changes in form are associated with identifiable conditions or contexts.
  4. According to communication accommodation theory, how may speakers adjust their language?Answer: They may shift their speech to converge with or diverge from another person’s usage.
  5. Which statement about fossilization is consistent with interlanguage theory?Answer: It can affect some parts of a learner’s language even with motivation and continued exposure.

Based on the Wikipedia article Interlanguage, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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