انجمن علمی زبان دانشگاه آزاد یزد

The Basic Processes of Interlanguage

The interlanguage of an L2 learner can be studied by comparing what the learner produces with what a native speaker who was saying the “same” thing would produce. For example, the interlanguage of L2 learners of English whose native language is Spanish can be studied by comparing what they say in a particular situation with how a native English speaker might convey the same meaning.

We can expect that some of the differences between the English learner's and the native speaker's sentences can be explained by the influence of Spanish on what the learner has produced. However, we can expect that there will be some features of the language learner's sentence that belong to neither English (the learner's L2) or Spanish (the learner's L1).

The learner's particular variety of the L2 is not only derived from knowledge of the target language. According to Selinker's original formulation, an interlanguage is created from five cognitive processes: language transfer, transfer of training, strategies of L2 learning, communication strategies, and overgeneralization of L2 rules.

Language transfer is the effect of mapping L1 structures onto the L2. In the case of positive transfer, where the L1 maps well onto the L2, first-language knowledge helps learners produce correct grammatical structures in the L2. On the other hand, negative transfer occurs when the structures do not map correctly; this has also been referred to as “interference” or “interlingual” errors. The importance of the role of language transfer in interlanguage development has long been debated by SLA researchers, and in particular the question of how to explain individual differences—known as variability of transfer—remains unanswered.

Transfer of training refers to the instruction the learner has received, and the types of second-language materials and approaches the learner has been exposed to.

Strategies of second-language learning describe the particular ways learners approach their own learning.

Second-language communication strategies explain how the learner attempts to resolve the challenges that arise in naturally occurring communicative situations.

 Finally, overgeneralization of target-language rules refers to how the L2 learner tries to hypothesize structures based on partial knowledge of the grammatical system. For example, an L2 learner who knows that ed is used to form the past tense will quite often overgeneralize this rule, and produce forms such as /goed/.

 Source: SAGE REFERENCE ONLINE