Language Learnability and L2 Phonology: The Acquisition of Metrical Parameters

216 Pages·1993·8.71 MB·English

by  John Archibald (auth.)

LANGUAGE LEARNABILITY AND L2 PHONOLOGY
STUDIES IN THEORETICAL PSYCHOLINGUISTICS
VOLUME 19
Managing Editors
Thomas Roeper, Dept. of Linguistics, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Kenneth Wexler, Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Science, MIT, Cambridge, Mass.
Editorial Board
Robert Berwick, Artificalintelligence Laboratory, MIT, Cambridge, Mass.
Manfred Bierwisch, Zentralinstitut fur Sprachwissenschaft, Akademie der
Wissenschaften, Berlin
Merrill Garrett, University ofA rizona, Tucson
Lila Gleitman, School of Education, University of Pennsylvania
Mary-Louise Kean, University of California at Irvine
Howard Lasnik, University of Connecticut at Storrs
John Marshall, Neuropsychology Unit, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford
Daniel Osherson, MI. T., Cambridge, Mass.
Yukio Otsu, Keio University, Tokyo
Edwin Williams, Princeton University
The titles published in this series are listed at the end of this volume.
JOHN ARCHmALD
LANGUAGE
LEARNABILITY
AND L2 PHONOLOGY:
The Acquisition of Metrical Parameters
SPRINGER SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, B.Y.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Arch1bald, John.
Language learnab111ty and L2 phonology : the acqu1s1t1on of
~etr1cal parameters I by John Arch1bald.
p. CI. -- <Stud1es 1n theoret1cal psychol1ngu1st1cs ; v. 19)
Includes b1bl1ograph1cal references and 1ndexes.
ISBN 978-94-010-4911-5 ISBN 978-94-011-2056-2 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-94-011-2056-2
1. Language acqu1s1t1on. 2. Metr1cal phonology. 3. Pol1sh
language--Error analys1s. 4. Hungar1an language--Error analys1s.
5. Pol1sh language--Phonology, Comparat1ve--Hungarian. 6. Hungar1an
language--Phonology, Comparat1ve--PoI1sh. 7. Language and
languages--Study and teach1ng. 1. T1tle. II. T1tle: Language
learnab111ty and L two phonology. III. Ser1es.
Pl18.A73 1993
401' . 93--dc20 93-31917
ISBN 978-94-010-4911-5
Printed on acid-free paper
AU Rights Reserved
© 1993 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
Originally published by Kluwer Academic Publishers in 1993
Softcover reprint ofthe hardcover Ist edition 1993
No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or
utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
inc1uding photocopying, recording or by any information storage and
retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright owner.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements xiii
Introduction xv
Chapter One: Developing a Theory of Language Acquisition
1.0 Overview of the Chapter 1
2.0 Language Learnability 1
2.1 The Theory of Grammar as a Theory of Mind 2
2.1.2 Externalized versus Internalized Language 2
2.2 Theories of Mind 3
2.3 The Question of Modularity 5
2.4 Evidence from Atypical Acquisition 5
3.0 Theories of Learning 7
3.1 Induction versus Deduction 7
3.2 Constructivism versus Innatism 8
4.0 The Role of the Environment 9
4.1 Negative Evidence 12
4.2 Modified Input 13
4.3 Modified Input in Second Language Acquisition 14
5.0 Conditions on Models of Language Acquisition 14
5.1 Parameterized Universal Grammar 15
5.2 Pinker's Criteria and Parameter Setting 16
6.0 Historical Overview of Studies in Second Language Acquisition 17
6.1 Transfer Errors 19
6.2 Developmental Errors 20
7.0 Universal Grammar and Second Language Acquisition 21
8.0 Adult Access to UG 23
9.0 Conclusion 30
Notes to Chapter One 30
Chapter Two: Metrical Phonology
1.0 Overview of the Chapter 32
2.0 Phonology and Learnability 32
3.0 Stress 32
3.1 English Stress 33
3.2 A Metrical Theory of Stress 34
vii
viii TABLE OF CONTENTS
3.3 Stress Assignment 35
4.0 Tenninology 36
4.1.1 Direction of Tree Construction 36
4.1.2 Quantity Sensitivity 37
4.1.3 Extrametricality 38
4.1.4 Binary and Unbounded Feet 38
4.1.5 The Word Tree 39
5.0 Universal Aspects of Metrical Systems 40
6.0 Metrical Parameters 40
7.0 Investigating the Metrics of the Languages in Question 41
7.1.1 English Stress Revisited 41
7.1.2 The Cycle and Metrical Phonology 43
7.1.3 Extrametricality Revisited 44
7.1.4 Stress Retraction 45
7.1.5 English Metrical Parameters 45
7.2 Polish Stress 46
7.3 Hungarian Stress 47
8.0 A Learning Theory for Phonology 49
8.1 The Subset Principle 50
8.2 Default Settings 51
9.0 Conclusion 53
Notes to Chapter Two 53
Chapter Three: Acquisition of L1 Stress
1.0 Overview of the Chapter 55
2.0 Stress Acquisition in L1 55
3.0 Theories of Phonological Acquisition 59
4.0 A Modular Lexicon 60
5.0 Summary 61
Notes to Chapter Three 61
Chapter Four: Research Methodology
1.0 Overview of the Chapter 62
2.0 Language Groups 62
3.0 Experimental Tasks 62
3.1 Production versus Perception 64
4.0 Experimental Items 65
5.0 The Subjects 69
5.1 Language Background 69
6.0 Additional Tests 70
TABLE OF CONTENTS ix
6.1 Proficiency 70
6.2 Vocabulary 70
6.3 Order of Presentation 71
7.0 Developing the Instrument 72
8.0 Reliability of the Test 75
Notes to Chapter Four 75
Chapter Five: The Polish Study
1.0 Overview of the Chapter 76
2.0 General Predictions Regarding Polish 76
3.0 Polish Error Patterns 76
4.0 Error Totals 77
4.1 Two Lexicons 80
5.0 Explaining the Polish Errors 80
5.1.1 Classes 1 & 2: Common Errors 81
5.1.2 Classes 1 & 2: Uncommon Errors 83
5.1.3 Classes 1 & 2: Within-Class Variation 84
5.2.1 Classes 3,4 & 5: Common Errors 84
5.2.2 Classes 4 & 5: Uncommon Errors 88
5.2.3 Class 3: Uncommon Errors 88
5.2.4 Classes 3,4, & 5: Within-Class Variation 89
5.3.0 Class 6: Common Errors 89
5.3.1 Class 6: Uncommon Errors 92
5.3.2 Class 6: Within-Class Variation 93
5.4.0 Class 7: Common Errors 93
5.4.1 Class 7: Uncommon Errors 95
5.4.2 Class 7: Within-Class Variation 96
6.0 Overall Description of Polish Errors 96
6.1 Polish Errors Ranked by Class 98
7.0 Summary of Evidence for Adult Access to UG 99
7.1.1 Frequency Distribution of Errors 99
7.1.2 Word Production Task 100
7.1.3 Sentence Production Task 102
7.1.4 Word Perception Task 103
7.1.5 Sentence Perception Task 105
8.0 Summary of Polish Errors 107
Notes to Chapter Five 108
Chapter Six: The Hungarian Study
1.0 Overview of the Chapter 110
x TABLE OF CONTENTS
2.0 General Predictions Regarding Hungarian 110
3.0 Hungarian Error Patterns 111
3.1 Error Totals 111
4.0. Explaining the Hungarian Errors 114
4.1 Hungarian Errors and the Word-Tree Parameter 114
4.2.1 Classes I & 2: Common Errors 114
4.2.2 Classes 1 & 2: Uncommon Errors 116
4.2.3 Classes 1 & 2 and Quantity-Sensitivity 116
4.2.4 Classes 1 & 2: Within-Class Variation 117
4.3.1 Class 3: Common Errors 118
4.3.2 Class 3: Uncommon Errors 119
4.3.3 Class 3: Within-Class Variation 119
4.4.1 Classes 4 & 5: Common Errors 119
4.4.2 Classes 4 & 5: Uncommon Errors 121
4.4.3 Classes 4 & 5 and Quantity-Sensitivity 121
4.4.4 Classes 4 & 5: Within-Class Variation 122
4.5.1 Class 6: Common Errors 122
4.5.2 Class 6: Uncommon Errors 123
4.5.3 Class 6: Within-Class Variation 124
4.6.1 Class 7: Common Errors 124
4.6.2 Class 7: Uncommon Errors 126
4.6.3 Class 7: Within-Class Variation 126
5.0 Overall Description of Hungarian Errors 127
5.1 Hungarian Errors Ranked by Class 128
6.0 Summary of Evidence for Adult Access to UG 129
6.1.0 Frequency Distribution of Errors 130
6.1.1 Word Production Task 130
6.l.2 Sentence Production Task 132
6.1.3 Word Perception Task 134
6.l.4 Sentence Perception Task 135
7.0 Summary of Hungarian Errors 137
Notes to Chapter Six 138
Chapter Seven: Comparing the Polish & Hungarian Studies
1.0 Overview of the Chapter 139
2.0 Transfer of L1 Parameter Settings 139
2.1.0 Mean Scores 139
2.1.1 Word Production Task 140
2.1.2 Sentence Production Task 141
2.1.3 Word Perception Task 142
2.1.4 Sentence Perception Task 144
TABLE OF CONTENTS Xl
3.0 Error Distribution by Class 145
3.1.0 Word Production Task 145
3.1.1 Ranking of Word-production Errors by Class 146
3.2.0 Sentence Production Task 147
3.2.1 Ranking of Sentence-Production Errors by Class 147
3.3.0 Word Perception Task 148
3.3.1 Ranking of Word-Perception Errors by Class 148
3.4.0 Sentence Perception Task 149
3.4.1 Ranking of Sentence-Perception Errors by Class 149
4.0 Summary of Comparison 149
Chapter Eight: Language Teachability
1.0 Overview of the Chapter 151
2.0 Ultimate Attainment 151
3.0 Feedback 153
3.1 The Effects of Instruction 154
4.0 Teachability 154
4.1 Salient Input 155
4.2 Error Correction 156
4.3 Subsets and Cues 158
4.4 Subsets and Second Language Acquisition 161
4.5 Resetting Parameters 162
5.0 Difficulty 164
6.0 Explicit Knowledge and Blame Assignment 166
7.0 Variation and Resetting 168
8.0 Pedagogic Implications 170
Notes to Chapter Eight 174
Chapter Nine: Summary 175
References 178
Appendix A 186
Appendix B 189
Appendix C 190
Appendix D 197
Name Index 198
Subject Index 199
ACKNOW1EDGEMrnNTS
Many trees have died to bring this book into being, and many people deserve
a great deal of credit for helping me to realize this project. The project began
as my 1991 doctoral dissertation at the University of Toronto where I was
fortunate enough to be able to work with people at both the Ontario Institute
for Studies in Education (OISE), and at the Department of Linguistics. I am,
therefore, indebted to my thesis committee both for guidance and for enduring
long periods of thesis-silence (with a mad rush at the end). Merrill Swain, my
supervisor, aided me in the research design and statistical analysis, and helped
to make the Modern Language Centre at OISE a hospitable place to work.
Susanne Carroll introduced me to the joys of a truly rigorous approach to
second language acquisition research. Without her academic model, her
knowledge, and her enthusiasm, this project would never have come to
fruition. Elan Dresher provided much of the basic research for this
investigation through his own interest in language learnability and
phonology. Much of what I am applying to second language research stems
from Elan; his curiosity and dedication are inspiring. Keren Rice first got me
interested in studying phonology, and her careful readings of early drafts
helped me clarify my own thinking. I would also like to thank Wayne ONeil
at M.LT. for his encouragement and insightful comments.
I would like to thank the Canadian Journal of Linguistics for allowing me
to reprint parts of an article I published with them in Chapter Five, and the
TESL Canada Journal for allowing me to reprint parts of an article that
appeared in their journal, in Chapter One of this book. I gratefully
acknowledge the suggestions that anonymous reviewers for those journals
made to me.
The reviewers and series editors of Kluwer deserve credit for their
suggestions as to how to modify this work. As a result of their careful
readings, I hope the book will make more sense to more people.
lowe a great deal to the institutions that allowed me access to their
students: Fanshawe College, the London Board of Education, George Brown
College, the University of Toronto, School of Continuing Studies, and the
University of Western Ontario. Also, the people at those institutions who
facilitated my study: Chris Nath & Monte Black; Barbara Starkey & Joy
Croke; Doug Jull; Chet Creider & Jean-Marc Philibert. I also thank John
Whiteside for helping me to score the tests.
The University of Western Ontario Department of Anthropology deserves
special thanks for allowing me access to their computing facilities while I
was teaching there in 1991. Their laser printer had many kilometres put on it.
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