Toward Second Language Acquisition

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xi

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2. Markedness Theory and Second Language Acquisition

   • Elaine C. Klein

   Pages 1-22

3. Pied-Piping and Preposition Stranding

   • Elaine C. Klein

   Pages 23-50

4. The Null-Prep Phenomenon

   • Elaine C. Klein

   Pages 51-69

5. Null-Prep: L2 Experimental Data

   • Elaine C. Klein

   Pages 70-123

6. Cross-Linguistic Data

   • Elaine C. Klein

   Pages 124-147

7. The Syntax of Null-Prep

   • Elaine C. Klein

   Pages 148-193

8. Preposition Omission in English and the Relative Clause Parameters

   • Elaine C. Klein

   Pages 194-235

9. Explaining Null-Prep in the L2 Grammar

   • Elaine C. Klein

   Pages 236-258

10. Back Matter

    Pages 259-292

    PDF

This book uniquely illustrates how second language acquisition (SLA) data can instigate linguistic exploration and help inform linguistic and acquisition theory in crucial ways. It also offers new perspectives toward our understanding of the relationship between first and second language acquisition, Universal Grammar (UG), and the target language input. Specifically, examination of the L2 development of pied-piping and preposition stranding in English questions and relative clauses shows that the required preposition is frequently omitted by learners who have demonstrated accurate subcategorization knowledge of verbal complements in related declarative constructions. The `null-prep' data in the L2 grammar leads to an important cross-linguistic investigation of this largely ignored syntactic phenomenon in the world's languages; it also motivates exploration of the complex English input learners receive as positive evidence. An analysis of null-prep, piping and stranding is posited, including the relevant principles and parameters of UG involved. Based on this linguistic analysis, alternative explanations for the L2 phenomenon are offered, representing challenges to UG and markedness-based accounts of second language acquisition. Such challenges will be of interest to linguists as well as to students, teachers, reseachers and scholars interested in second language acquisition, particularly in its relationship to UG.

• English
• SLA
• Second language acquisition
• Sprachentwicklungsstörungen
• language
• language acquisition
• linguists
• second language

• Queens College and The Graduate School and University Center, City University of New York, USA

  Elaine C. Klein

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