Typological and Parametric Views of Universals in Second Language Acquisition

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to compare and discuss two approaches to using linguistic universais in the explanation of second-language acquisition (SLA) and, where possible, to pose questions and raise issues in this area. I will refer to the first approach as the “typological approach.” which is exemplified in work by Gass (1979), Hyltenstam (1984). as well as some of my own work (Eckman, 1977, 1984), and will call the second framework the “Universal Grammar approach” which is exemplified in work by Flynn (1985), Mazurkewich (1984), White (1985), as well as others. First, I will attempt to characterize each of the approaches with respect to SLA, arguing that both are similar in that they share some of the same fundamental assumptions. Next, I will try to differentiate the two approaches; finally, I will discuss some of the argument types that have been used to support the claims of each approach.

This work was supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation, grant number BNS-8213384, whose support is herewith gratefully acknowledged. I would like to thank the following for taking the time to discuss this topic with me, for their many helful comments and criticisms: Damiel Dinnsen. Michael Hammond, Gregory Inverson. Edith Moravcsik. Gerald Sanders, Linda Schwartz and Jessica Wirth. None of the above is responsible for errors, inconsistencies or misinterpretations that remain.