Assignment

1. Translate the following into Chinese.

Fossilization is a mechanism whereby “speakers of a particular native language will keep certain linguistic items, rules, subsystems in their interlanguage, no matter what amount of instruction they receive in the target language.”

                                 ---- Selinker

 

2. Fill in the blanks in the following short passage.

Errors are evidence of the state of a learner’s knowledge of the L2. An error is different from what we call a ‘mistake’. A mistake is akin to _______ of the tongue. They are generally one-time-only events. The speaker who makes a ________ is able to recognize it as a mistake and correct it if necessary. An error, however, is ___________. That is, it is likely to occur repeatedly and is not recognized by the learner as an error. The learner in this case has incorporated a particular erroneous form (from the perspective of the TL) into his own ________. Errors are not only systematic; many of them are also ____________.

 

3. Answer the following questions.

(1) What are the characteristics of interlanguage?

(2) What’s the difference between free variation and systematic variation in interlanguage development? Give examples to illustrate.

(3) Give examples to show that interlanguage grammar is dynamic.

(4) Give examples, or find examples in your or somebody else’s homework to illustrate that interlanguage is a reduced system.

(5) What the differences between the acquisition order and the sequence of acquisition? Give examples to illustrate.

(6) How does L1 influence the learner’s interlanguage?

(7) What is interlanguage pragmatics?

(8) How does L1 and L2 speech act production differ from each other?

 

4. Mini-discussion corner.

(1) Think about the phenomenon of avoidance we discussed in 2.3.3. It has been primarily investigated in syntax. Why do you think such an emphasis has occurred? Can avoidance take place in phonology? In vocabulary? Why or why not?

(2) There are many speech acts in verbal communications, such as complaining, insulting, thanking, apologizing, requesting, refusing, complimenting, suggesting, and so on. These speech acts can be studied as part of second language use. Choose one of the above speech acts, and gather data from L2 speakers in their use of it. While you are gathering data, take into account such factors as gender, status, and familiarity. Give an analysis of how these factors affect your results?

(3) The following data (from Porter, 1983, see Gass and Selinker, 2008: 300-301) reflect ways in which NSs and NNSs express agreement and disagreement. The NSs and NNSs were discussing three stories. They all included the need to rank characters in the story in terms of which is the most reprehensible, which should be saved, and which is the most useful for surviving at sea. Study these data and discuss the questions that follow.

Agreement

NSs

That’s the same as mine.

Well, that’s close.

We’re kind of agreed on some of them

Well, I thought she was pretty too bad, but…

I could go along with switching a little bit.

Well, I’m somewhat convinced by what you say

That is somewhat good idea, I guess, in the extreme case.

I think basically you have a somewhat legitimate argument.

 

NNSs

Well, in the first, third, we have the same.

It’s agree, no? We’re agree.

We are agree.

All right.

I changed my mind.

It’s OK. I think it’s OK.

Yeah, I change to seven.

Question: What similarities or differences are there between the way NSs and NNSs express agreement in the above examples?

 

Disagreement

NSs

At this point, I was very arbitrary.

But I don’t know how it works.

I thought… but who would know for sure.

Oh! It didn’t even enter my head.

I wouldn’t necessarily agree with that.

So I had him kind of towards the end of my list.

 

NNSs

No!

Well, I disagree with you.

I’m not agree with that.

But, that’s not important.

Is wrong.

No, no, forget it!

I’m not sure about.

I didn’t really pay attention of that part.

Is very difficult.

Questions: What similarities or differences are there between NSs and NNSs in expressing disagreement? Considering both parts of this problem, do you think the NNSs appear rude? Is so, why? If not, why not? Do the NSs appear rude? Why or why not? Consult native speakers if necessary if you are not sure about your judgments.