Learner error in second language acquisi0on: the transfer of form or concept? Samantha Austen Centre for Language and Communica0on Research, Cardiff University, UK austensca1@cardiff.ac.uk 1
Is the present perfect? Problem Difficulty in understanding and using the English tense system by Italian learners on English. Errors in spoken and wri<en produc=on. Hypotheses Speakers of Italian and speakers of English differ in their conceptualisa=on of select aspects of temporality. These conceptualisa=ons are transferred in second language learning resul=ng in L1 interference and consequent errors in produc=on. 2
L1 transfer: 3 forms 3
Formal Transfer Target Form I bought a new car yesterday L1 equivalent Ieri ho comprato una macchina nuova L2 produc=on I have bought a new car yesterday. 4
Seman0c Transfer From Odlin (2005) Polish Speakers. Target form: My brother and I went to the theatre yesterday L1 equivalent: Wczoraj bylis my z bratem w teatrze L2 Produc=on: We were at the theatre with my brother yesterday. Odlin T. (2005) Annual Review of Applied Linguistics. 25,3 25. 5
Conceptual Transfer Target Form: I have been wai=ng here for 10 minutes. L1 equivalent: AspeKo qui da 10 minu= L2 Produc=on: I wait here for 10 minutes 6
The Study Descrip=on of Tense and Aspect in English and Italian Seman=c Maps (CroZ 2003) of Temporality were developed showing seman=c representa=ons of temporality in English and Italian. Croft, W. (2003) Typology and Universals. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Development of Tests Cloze tests produced based on areas of divergence highlighted by seman=c maps and Vendler (1967) verb class. to know (State verb - punctual telic dynamic) to camp (Ac;vity verb punctual telic +dynamic) Vendler, Z. (1967) Linguistics in Philosophy. London: Cornell University Press. 7
. Semantic Map 1: showing the functions of the English Present Simple, Present Progressive, Present Perfect and Present Perfect Progressive. English Present progressive Core semantics: present, duration, limited duration, possibly incomplete. Repetition of events of limited duration At 1.30pm the baby is usually sleeping. Sporadic repetition over time She s always dropping things. Temporary state My back is aching/ Mary is sick* Ongoing process The weather is changing Change in state/situation House prices are going up Habit over a limited period I m taking Spanish lessons at the moment Active cognition I m thinking about going. Active perception I m tasting the soup. Repetition of single punctual event She s knocking on the door Persistent or continuous activity At the moment the builders are working hard because they want to finish the flats. Temporary situations or happenings at time of speaking. Giulio is sleeping Instantaneous use (commentaries) And he scores! Performative use I accept your terms. Permanent states I am English English Present Simple: Core semantics: present, true at present time, imperfective Eternal truths. Hydrogen is the lightest element. Habitual use She walks to work everyday. Temporary situation up to present I have been camping for a week. Temporary habit up to the present I have been eating a lot of chocolate lately. Temporary activity up to the present They have been widening the road. Incomplete activity* contrast complete Who has been eating my breakfast? State up to the present time I have known him since he was a boy. Situation up to present time I have lived here for years. Habit leading up to the present Kat has sung in a choir for years. Recent past (transformative) I have only just arrived, what has happened? Recent past Has the postman been yet? Resultative past The taxi has arrived. Experiential past I have been to South Africa. English Present Perfect Core semantics: Past time related to present time, result. Temporary activity up to present with result. I am tired because I have been running. English Present Perfect Progressive Core semantics: duration, temporary, continues up to present or recent past, incomplete, possible results
Semantic. Map 2 showing the functions of the Italian Presente Semplice, Passato Prossimo and Perifrasi Progressiva. Italiano Presente Semplice: Core semantics:. Present, close to or simultaneous with present time, imperfective La perifrasi progressiva Core semantics: focus on one moment of situation in progress, incomplete Repetition of events of limited duration Alle 13.30 al solito il bimbo dorme. Sporadic repetition over time Rompe sempre tutto. Temporary state Mi fa male la scheina. Instantaneous use (commentaries) Inzaghi dribbla sulla destra, crossa al centro...e segna! Performative use Accetto! Permanent states Sono inglese. State up to the present time Lo conosco da anni Eternal truths. Acqua bolle a 100 gradi. Habitual use Ogni giorno prende il treno. Situation up to the present time. Vivo qui da anni Ongoing process Il tempo sta cambiando/ Al polo nord i ghiacci stanno scogliendo Change ins state/situation I prezzi immobiliari stanno aumentando Habit over a limited period up to and after present moment Per ora faccio/sto facendo lezioni di spagnolo Active cognition Penso/ sto pensando di andarci. Active perception Odoro/sto odorando le rose. Repetition of single punctual event Bussa/ sta bussando Persistent or continuous activity. Per ora i muratori lavorano sodo che vogliono finire il palazzo. Temporary situations or happenings at moment of speaking Giulio dorme/sta dormendo Temporary situation up to present Dormo/sto dormendo dalla zia in questo periodo. Temporary habit up to the present Mangio/sto mangiando molto cioccolato per ora. Temporary activity up to the present Allargono/Stanno allargando la strada. Incomplete activity* contrast complete Chi mi mangia/sta mangiando la colazione? Habit leading up to the present Le donne di qui hanno portato/ portano delle gonne lungissime da sempre Recent past (transformative) Arrivo/Sono arrivato proprio ora; mi vuoi speigare cosa e` successo? Recent past (News) Sai che e` successo? E` caduto un giovane Experiential past Sono stata in Francia Temporary activity up to present with result. Sono stanca perche` ho corso. Resultative past Giorgio e` arrivato Italiano Perfetto Composto (Passato Prossimo) Core semantics: Past time related to present time (reference time), result
. Functions covered by Italian Presente Semplice Functions covered by Italian Passato Prossimo Functions covered by Italian Presente (Perifrasi progressiva) Semantic Map 3. Semantic map of English Present Simple, Present Progressive, Present Perfect and Present Perfect Progressive showing those functions covered by the Italian Presente Semplice, Passato Prossimo and Perifrasi Progressiva. Potential areas for investigation are highlighted in grey. English Present progressive Core semantics: present, duration, limited duration, possibly incomplete. Repetition of events of limited duration At 1.30pm the baby is usually sleeping. Sporadic repetition over time She s always dropping things. Temporary state My back is aching/ Mary is sick* Instantaneous use (commentaries) And he scores! Performative use I accept your terms. Permanent states I am English English Present Simple: Core semantics: present, true at present time, imperfective Resultative past The taxi has arrived. Eternal truths. Hydrogen is the lightest element. Habitual use She walks to work everyday. State up to the present time I have known him since he was a boy. Situation up to present time I have lived here for years. Habit leading up to the present Kat has sung in a choir for years. Recent past (transformative) I have only just arrived, what has happened? Recent past Has the postman been yet? Experiential past I have been to South Africa. English Present Perfect Core semantics: Past time related to present time, result Ongoing process The weather is changing/ the polar icecaps are melting Change ins state/situation House prices are going up Habit over a limited period I m taking Spanish lessons at the moment Active cognition I m thinking about going. Active perception I m tasting the soup. Repetition of single punctual event Bussa/ sta bussando Persistent or continuous activity At the moment the builders are working hard because they want to finish the flats. Temporary situations or happenings at time of speaking. Giulio is sleeping Temporary situation up to present I have been camping for a week.. Temporary habit up to the present I have been eating a lot of chocolate lately. Temporary activity up to the present They have been widening the road. Incomplete activity* contrast complete Who has been eating my breakfast? Temporary activity up to present with result. I am tired because I have been running. English Present Perfect Progressive Core semantics: duration, temporary, continues up to present or recent past, incomplete, possible results
The Study Descrip=on of Tense and Aspect in English and Italian Seman=c Maps (CroZ 2003) of Temporality were developed showing seman=c representa=ons of temporality in English and Italian. Croft, W. (2003) Typology and Universals. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Development of Tests Cloze tests produced based on areas of divergence highlighted by seman=c maps and Vendler (1967) verb class. to know (State verb - punctual telic dynamic) to camp (Ac;vity verb punctual telic +dynamic) Vendler, Z. (1967) Linguistics in Philosophy. London: Cornell University Press. 11
Crusoe Cloze Test and Verb Box Look at the story of Crusoe. Today another ship wrecked person has arrived on the island. He asks Crusoe about his situa;on. Put the verbs in Crusoe s explana;on in the correct tense. I...(fall off) my ship and then I... (swim) to the island, I even...(see) a shark. I...(be) on the island a week, I...(eat) coconuts, I... (sleep) under a palm tree and I... (wait) for rescue. I... (not see) a ship so I... (write) SOS in the sand. Look at the story of Crusoe. Decide if the verbs refer to past or present ac;ons and put them in the chart below. fall off his ship see a shark swim to the island wait for rescue sleep under the palm tree eat coconuts be on the island write SOS to not see a ship Present Past 12
The story of Crusoe DAY 1 TODAY DAY 2-7 13
Administra0on of Tests Cloze tests and picture s=muli administered to 7 pre- intermediate Italian students of English. Par=cipants were given a semi- structured targeted interviews about their responses. 4 Na=ve English speakers were tested as controls 14
Results Concept State leading up to and con0nuing in the present. e.g. I have known him for years Temporary situa0on leading up to the present moment e.g. I have been wai<ng Temporary habit up to the present moment e.g. We have been sleeping Finished past ac0on with no present result e.g. I fell off my ship Finished past ac0on with a present result e.g. It has started to rain Incidences of Transfer Conceptual x 3 (1 x Seman=c which was reclassified as Conceptual) Conceptual x 3 Conceptual x 4 None. Support for Aspect Hypothesis Conceptual x 6 15
Evidence for Conceptual Transfer 1 state leading up to and con;nuing in the present Target Form: I have known him for years Par=cipant 1,7 : I know him for years E` un azione che era vera nel passato ma e` vera anche nel presente Non la conosce al passato la conosce ancora 16
Evidence for Conceptual Transfer 2 finished past ac;on with a present result Target form: I have wri<en SOS in the sand/ I have recharged my phone Par=cipant 2,3,4,6: I wrote SOS/I recharged my phone. Poi ho messo, ho scriro, perche` comunque lui non con;nua a scriverlo l ha scriro in quel momento e l azione si e` conclusa Semmai con;nua ad esserci ma lui non con;nua a scriverlo ovviamente l ha scriro una volta e basta 17
Evidence for Conceptual Transfer finished past ac;on with a present result Target Form: I haven t seen a ship 3 Par=cipant 4,7: I don t see Il faro che questa persona con;nua a non vedere rende la cosa al presente Io penso comunque non ha visto niente non sta vedendo 18
Conclusions Development of seman=c maps of temporality for English and Italian gives a base for believing that there could be differing conceptualisa=ons of select aspects of temporality. Some convincing examples of Conceptual Transfer were produced. The prototype in each category is eventually transferred. The prototype is the func=on closest to the core seman=cs of the category. (Housen 2002) L1 Transfer takes place as part of the acquisi=on process (Rocca 2002). It becomes less apparent with the eventual recoding of linguis=c prototypes towards na=ve use of the L2. (Giacalone- Ramat 2002; Ellis 2006) 19 Housen, A. -- Rocca, S.-- Giacalone Ramat, A. In: Salaberry, R and Shirai, Y. (eds) The L2 Acquisition of Tense-Aspect Morphology. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, (2002). Ellis, N.C. (2006). Applied Linguistics. 27/2, 164 194.
Will the Future be Perfect? Seek further evidence for Conceptual Transfer with a wider sample. Develop a fully func=onal/cogni=ve descrip=on of temporality in English and Italian. Work on possible differences in inherent lexical aspect applying to verbs in English and Italian. Implicated in Conceptual Transfer (Shirai and Nishi 2003) 20 Shirai, Y. and Nishi, Y. (2003) In: Typology and Second Language Acquisition. Giacalone-Ramat, A. (Ed) Mouton de Gruyter: Berlin.
Second language acquisition is the only way an individual may escape from the conceptual world of the native language. (Odlin 2005:7) Thank you for coming! Any ques=ons/comments? Odlin, T. (2005) Crosslinguistic influence and conceptual transfer: What are the concepts? Annual Review of Applied Linguistics. Vol 25. pp 3-25. 21