Second language acquisition of Germanic languages

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Second language acquisition research focuses on how people acquire and use a second language (L2), and the underlying mechanisms that support these processes. Key issues include the nature of learners' L2 linguistic representations, how such representations develop from the L2 input learners receive, and the ways in which features from learners' two languages interact to influence L2 acquisition and use. These issues address larger debates concerning the extent to which L2 learners <spaced en> and especially adult learners<spaced en>can acquire nativelike L2 proficiency, and whether L1 and L2 acquisition rely on the same underlying mechanisms, or whether fundamentally different mechanisms and strategies are involved. For over 40 years, Germanic languages, especially German and Dutch, have played a central role in L2 acquisition research. The present chapter reviews selected findings from this research and discusses how these findings contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms that drive L2 acquisition and use.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationThe Cambridge Handbook of Germanic Linguistics
PublisherCambridge University Press
Pages689-713
Number of pages25
ISBN (Electronic)9781108378291
ISBN (Print)9781108421867
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 16 2020

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Arts and Humanities
  • General Social Sciences

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