Examining the Concept of Subordination in Spoken L1 and L2 English: The Case of "If"-Clauses

Autor/inn/en	Basterrechea, María; Weinert, Regina
Titel	Examining the Concept of Subordination in Spoken L1 and L2 English: The Case of "If"-Clauses
Quelle	In: TESOL Quarterly: A Journal for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages and of Standard English as a Second Dialect, 51 (2017) 4, S.897-919 (23 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0039-8322
DOI	10.1002/tesq.361
Schlagwörter	Second Language Learning; English Language Learners; Native Language; Native Speakers; Form Classes (Languages); Language Proficiency; Interpersonal Communication; Task Analysis; Difficulty Level + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Zweitsprachenerwerb; Muttersprachler; Analytischer Sprachbau; Language skill; Language skills; Sprachkompetenz; Interpersonale Kommunikation; Aufgabenanalyse; Schwierigkeitsgrad
Abstract	This article explores the applications of research on native spoken language into second language learning in the concept of subordination. Second language (L2) learners' ability to integrate subordinate clauses is considered an indication of higher proficiency (e.g., Ellis & Barkhuizen, 2005; Tarone & Swierzbin, 2009). However, the notion of subordination is challenged in the analysis of spoken syntax due to the potential problems in identifying clausal relationships. The study compares the production of "if"-clauses of first language (L1; N = 20) and L2 (N = 20) speakers of English in informal conversations and a map task. Results show that L2 speakers exhibited a strong preference for pre-posed "if"-clauses consisting of one "if"-clause; compared to L1 users, they used few multiclausal "if"-clause complexes and postscript and semiformulaic post-posed clauses in the conversations. As for the map task, L2 speakers did not use single "if"-clause directives, frequently used by L1 speakers. The findings seem to indicate that L2 speakers were constrained in their structural and hence functional repertoire. The article concludes that using subordination as a measure of complexity may not be straightforward, because clausal relations typical of spoken language need to be taken into account. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01