LINGUIST List 22.3597 Thu Sep 15 2011 Diss: Lang Acq/Syntax: Prentza: 'Feature Interpretability in ...' Editor for this issue: Xiyan Wang <xiyanlinguistlist.org> To post to LINGUIST, use our convenient web form at http://linguistlist.org/LL/posttolinguist.cfm. Directory         1.     Alexandra Prentza , Feature Interpretability in Second Language Acqusition: Evidence from the Null Subject Parameter in the Greek/English interlanguage Message 1: Feature Interpretability in Second Language Acqusition: Evidence from the Null Subject Parameter in the Greek/English interlanguage Date: 10-Sep-2011 From: Alexandra Prentza <prentzalgmail.com> Subject: Feature Interpretability in Second Language Acqusition: Evidence from the Null Subject Parameter in the Greek/English interlanguage E-mail this message to a friend Institution: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Program: Department of Linguistics Dissertation Status: Completed Degree Date: 2010 Author: Alexandra Prentza Dissertation Title: Feature Interpretability in Second Language Acqusition: Evidence from the Null Subject Parameter in the Greek/English interlanguage Linguistic Field(s): Language Acquisition                             Syntax Subject Language(s): English (eng)                             Greek, Modern (ell) Dissertation Director: Lanthi-Maria Tsimpli Angeliki Psaltou-Joycey Anna Roussou Dissertation Abstract: The aim of this dissertation is to evaluate the role of interpretable and uninterpretable features in Second Language Acquisition targeting the Null Subject Parameter in the Greek/English interlanguage. This study allowed us to explore whether the optionality characterising L2 acquisition is real or apparent. To this end, LF-uninterpretable features involved in null, postverbal and that-t structures were investigated and the compensatory role of features interpretable both at LF and PF was examined. The semantically interpretable features studied were Referentiality and Definiteness on subjects, Predicate Type, as well as Animacy and Discourse-linking on wh-pronouns. On the other hand, Clausal Length and the PF constraint for No-Verb-Initial English clauses comprised the morphophonologically interpretable feature set. Results from one judgement and two production English tasks, as well as from a Greek anaphora resolution test, suggested that uninterpretable formal features cause learnability problems even at advanced stages of proficiency, the result being that the abstract properties of subject-verb agreement in Greek seem to be transferred in the Greek/English interlanguage. Crucially though, the effects of no-parameter resetting appear to be scattered in the sense that expletive null subject structures and existential postverbal structures (i.e. 'There'-VS) are more permeable than referential null subject and postverbal subject permutations respectively. With respect to interpretable features, although different learner groups were found to exhibit distinct sensitivity to them, it was revealed that they have an alleviating role improving learner target-deviant performance in a superficial, yet systematic way. However, no strong conclusions can be drawn about the (non)supportive role of Animacy and Discourse-linking, since the activation of these features seems to require the presence of a (resumptive) pronoun in the subject extraction site, which was not examined by the current thesis. On the whole, this dissertation supports that the variability attested in L2 acquisition is constrained and stems from the vulnerability of formal uninterpretable features as opposed to the availability of the interpretable ones, along the lines of the Interpretability Hypothesis (Tsimpli, 2003, Tsimpli and Dimitrakopoulou, 2007, Tsimpli and Mastropavlou, 2007). Read more issues|LINGUIST home page|Top of issue Page Updated: 15-Sep-2011       About LINGUIST    |   Contact Us       While the LINGUIST List makes every effort to ensure the linguistic relevance of sites listed on its pages, it cannot vouch for their contents.