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On the Role of Linguistic Theory in Explanations of Second Language Developmental Grammars

  • Chapter
Linguistic Theory in Second Language Acquisition

Part of the book series: Studies in Theoretical Psycholinguistics ((SITP,volume 8))

Abstract

Second language (L2) acquisition studies cover a very large area of research: this particular discussion will focus on the acquisition of grammar. More specifically, it will consider in an exploratofy manner how linguistic theory can contribute to the development of a principled theory of the acquisition process. In the past, where research has focused on the very early stages of development, linguistics has not been given any major role to play; however, when grammatical development proceeds to later, more complex stages, the (sometimes convenient) simplistic use of linguistics in the analysis of learner data can no longer be maintained. This should force any would-be researcher to reconsider the wisdom of treating linguistics too casually when describing and explaining L2 grammatical acquisition at whatever stage of development. This discussion will, then, examine various ways in which certain fruitful lines of inquiry in theoretical linguistics may be established in the setting up of a research program to study L2 grammatical development.

Thanks are due to those who commented on earlier written drafts, aspecially Eric Kellerman and Paul van Buren and the anonymous reviewers: thanks also to Peter Coopmans and James Pankhurst who acted as sounding boards for some of the more outlandish ideas, and finally, thanks to Jane Grimshaw for her useful comments as discussant for the paper “Modularity in muddy waters”—on which this present contribution to the volume is based.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Michael Sharwood Smith

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  1. Michael Sharwood Smith
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA

    Suzanne Flynn

  2. Department of Linguistics and Philosophy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA

    Wayne O’Neil

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© 1988 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Smith, M.S. (1988). On the Role of Linguistic Theory in Explanations of Second Language Developmental Grammars. In: Flynn, S., O’Neil, W. (eds) Linguistic Theory in Second Language Acquisition. Studies in Theoretical Psycholinguistics, vol 8. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2733-9_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2733-9_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-55608-085-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-2733-9

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