LINGUIST List 14.777

Mon Mar 17 2003

Diss: Lang Acquisition: Snape "Variability..."

Editor for this issue: Anita Yahui Huang <anitalinguistlist.org>

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  • nealsnape, Lang Acquisition: Snape "Variability in the use of..."

    Message 1: Lang Acquisition: Snape "Variability in the use of..."

     Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2003 22:31:56 +0000
    From: nealsnape <nealsnapehotmail.com>
    Subject: Lang Acquisition: Snape "Variability in the use of..."




    Institution: University of Essex Program: Department of Language and Linguistics Dissertation Status: Completed Degree Date: 2002

    Author: Neal Ellis Snape

    Dissertation Title: Variability in the use of the English article system by Japanese learners of English

    Dissertation URL: http://www.geocities.com/gorankudasai/dissertation.pdf

    Linguistic Field: Language Acquisition

    Dissertation Director 1: Roger Hawkins Dissertation Director 2: Shigenori Wakabayashi

    Dissertation Abstract:

    The focus of this study is to investigate why advanced Japanese learners of English have variability in the use of the English article system. A similar study by Robertson (2000) was conducted on advanced Chinese learners of English and this study has used the same distributional classes, based on Hawkins (1978) and Robertson's taxonomy of definiteness and indefiniteness. The findings are further analysed using Bickerton.s (1981) semantic binary features [�Specific Referent] and [�Hearer Knowledge] and are compared with findings from Parrish (1987), Chaudron and Parker (1990) and Thomas (1989). The results of this study do support predictions that advanced Japanese learners of English have variable use of articles in English and the influence on variation in articles is related to the learners' proficiency level. Furthermore, this supports the view of Schwartz (1998) that second language learners have absolute first language influence in building their L2 grammar, but this also depends on their L1. Studies by Parodi et al (1997) and Wakabayashi (1997) have shown that L2 learners, who have articles in their first language, are more likely to acquire the functional categories D and Num before L2 learners without articles in their L1. Nevertheless, this study supports Hawkins (2001) claim that learners do go through stages of incremental development in the acquisition of DP, though Japanese learners of English may take longer in acquiring these categories as there is no article system in their L1.