Vedasto J.

Samonte School of Graduate Studies

Northwestern University
Laoag City

Course Title: Psycholinguistics

Topic: The Psycholinguistics of Second Language Acquisition (SLA)
Reporter: Meizen D. Delos Reyes
Professor: Marshall Felix Josue

PSYCHOLINGUISTICS

It is concerned with a broad array of issues involving language acquisition, language comprehension,
language production and the processing of language in the mind/brain.

SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

Second language acquisition (SLA) or Language 2 (L2) deals with acquisition of additional languages in
both children and adults.

ERRORS IN L2 PRODUCTION

1. Errors of Omission - Deviations in usage that arise when learners leave some words.
Example: John went into shop.
2. Overgeneralization Errors - Learners use rules from the second language in roughly the same way that
children overgeneralize in their first language.
Example: "I goed home or He ated ice-cream.
3. Transfer Errors - Reflect learners attempts to make use of their L1 feature in producing L2.
Negative Transfer - the use of a feature from the L1 (that is really different from the L2) while
performing in the L2. For example, Spanish speakers learning English may say "Is raining" rather than
"It is raining", leaving out the subject of the sentence.
Positive Transfer - the use of a feature from the L1 that is similar to the L2 while performing in the L2.

NULL SUBJECT LANGUAGE - It is a language whose grammar permits an independent clause to lack an
explicit subject; such clause is then said to have a null subject. If we take the null subjects in a language like
Spanish, we can see the difference between the focus of linguistic theory and psycholinguistics.
1. Ella habla ingles. (She speaks English)
2. *pro habla ingles. (speaks English)
Linguists are interested in how a null subject operates in the grammar.
Psycholinguists are not interested in the properties, but on how the sentence is understood in real time.

INTERLANGUAGE - refers to the interim system, which has some features of the L1 and L2 plus some that
are independent of either the L1 and L2.
a unique linguistic system that has its own rules odd to either L1 or L2.

STRATEGIES OF L2 DEVELOPMENT
Chesterfield & Chesterfield (1985) identified a natural order of strategies in the development of a second
language.
1)Repetition (imitating a word or structure);
2)Memorization (recalling songs, rhymes or sequences by rote);
3) Formulaic expressions (words or phrases that function as units i.e. greetings);
4) Verbal attention getters (language that initiates interaction);
5) Answering in unison (responding with others);
6) Talking to self (engaging in internal monologue);
7) Elaboration (information beyond what is necessary);
 8) Anticipatory answers (completing anothers phrase or statement);
9) Monitoring (self-correcting errors);
10) Appeal for assistance (asking someone for help);
11) Request for clarification (asking the speaker to explain or repeat); and
12) Role-playing (interacting with another by taking on roles).

MODELS AND THEORIES ABOUT SECOND LANGUAGE PROCESSING

1. The Revised Hierarchical Model (RHM)

- Kroll and Stewart predictions were that translation
times from L2 to L1 would be faster than translation
times from L1 to L2.
- It is because the L1 involves strong conceptual links
and weak translation links, while the L2 involves
strong translation links and weaker conceptual links.

2. Processability Theory
- Processability theory is a theory and a model
of second language acquisition developed by
Manfred Pienemann that touches the linguistic
structures that surface in the learning of a second
language.
- It attempts to increase understanding of the ways
L2 learners restructure
their interlanguage knowledge systems to be in
greater conformity to L2 structures.

3. Krashens Five Hypotheses for SLA

A. The Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis - claims
that we have two independent ways of developing language ability:
Language Acquisition is a subconscious process. It occurs very naturally in a non-threatening
environment. The research strongly supports the view that both children and adults can
subconsciously acquire languages.
Language Learning is what occurs at school in an academic setting. It is a conscious process.

B. The Natural Order Hypothesis - claims that we acquire parts of a language in a predictable
order. Some grammatical items tend to come earlier in the acquisition than others. For example,
the ing progressive is acquired fairly early in first language acquisition, while third person
singular s is acquired later.

C. The Monitor Hypothesis

D. The Input Hypothesis

 E. The Affective Filter Hypothesis It embodies Krashens view that a number of affective
variables play a facilitative, but non-casual, role in second language acquisition.
- These variables include motivation, self-confidence and anxiety.