ERIC Number: EJ1016294
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Jul
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1366-7289
EISSN: N/A
L1-L2 Convergence in Clausal Packaging in Japanese and English
Brown, Amanda; Gullberg, Marianne
Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, v16 n3 p477-494 Jul 2013
This study investigates L1-L2 convergence among bilinguals at an intermediate (CEFR-B2) level of L2 proficiency, focusing on the clausal packaging of Manner and Path of motion. Previous research has shown cross-linguistic differences between English and Japanese in this domain (Allen et al., 2003; Kita & Ozyurek, 2003, though note Brown & Gullberg, 2012). We compared descriptions of motion from monolingual English and Japanese speakers to L1 and L2 descriptions from Japanese users of English as a second (ESL) and foreign (EFL) language. Results showed no significant difference between the monolinguals, who predominately used single-clause constructions packaging Manner and Path. However, bilinguals, both ESL and EFL speakers, used significantly more multi-clause constructions in both their L1 and L2. Following Pavlenko (2011a), findings are interpreted as evidence for L1-L2 convergence. We discuss potential bi-directional cross-linguistic influences underpinning the L1-L2 convergence and implications for the restructuring of bilingual systems.
Descriptors: Bilingualism, Second Language Learning, Language Proficiency, Phrase Structure, Japanese, English (Second Language), Motion, Contrastive Linguistics, Transfer of Training, Linguistic Theory
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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