Developmental patterns and mechanisms in the acquisition of receptive grammar knowledge in a second language (FWOTM595)

The primary objective of the proposed research project is to broaden the scope of SLA research by investigating the dynamics of receptive grammar development. As a second objective, I will test the hypothesis that the pattern of receptive L2 grammar development, like productive L2 grammar development, is unaffected by first language (L1) background. Finally, by using cross-sectional and longitudinal data, I avoid the peril of drawing unjustifiable conclusions concerning grammar development on the basis of cross-sectional data alone. Thus, the proposed research project is innovative in that it studies, cross-sectionally and longitudinally (rather than just cross-sectionally), aspects of receptive (rather than productive) L2 grammar acquisition by very young (rather than older) L2 learners from two (rather than one) typologically different L1 backgrounds.

Keywords:linguistique et littérature, linguistics and literature

Disciplines:Languages and literary studies