Universal Grammar Access by Adult L2 Learners: A Reassessment of Past Research With a Retest of Schachter's Classic
Edwards, Cecil David
This item is only available for download by members of the University of Illinois community. Students, faculty, and staff at the U of I may log in with your NetID and password to view the item. If you are trying to access an Illinois-restricted dissertation or thesis, you can request a copy through your library's Inter-Library Loan office or purchase a copy directly from ProQuest.
Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/80247
Description
Title
Universal Grammar Access by Adult L2 Learners: A Reassessment of Past Research With a Retest of Schachter's Classic
Author(s)
Edwards, Cecil David
Issue Date
1998
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Wardrop, James L.
Department of Study
Education
Discipline
Education
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Education, Bilingual and Multicultural
Language
eng
Abstract
L2 learners whose first language (L1) backgrounds (i.e., German/Dutch and Indonesian) display the principle of Subjacency, and who are at an advanced level of proficiency, were compared as a group in their performance to a group of L1 speakers of the target language on a 66-item grammaticality judgment test probing UG access via wh-fronting. L2 learners whose L1 backgrounds (i.e., Chinese and Korean) do not display the principle of Subjacency, and who are at an advanced level of proficiency, also were compared. The results were contrary to Schachter's findings. Advanced adult learners whose L1s were of the non-wh-fronted variety were able to perform with comparable accuracy to L1 English speakers, so that they appear to have UG access. Decision times and confidence ratings yielded little insight, since no consistent patterns emerged that could be interpreted logically.
Use this login method if you
don't
have an
@illinois.edu
email address.
(Oops, I do have one)
IDEALS migrated to a new platform on June 23, 2022. If you created
your account prior to this date, you will have to reset your password
using the forgot-password link below.
