Learnability in the Acquisition of the English "Tough" Construction by L1-Korean Adult and Child L2 Learners

Autor/inn/en	Kim, Kitaek; Schwartz, Bonnie D.
Titel	Learnability in the Acquisition of the English "Tough" Construction by L1-Korean Adult and Child L2 Learners
Quelle	In: Second Language Research, 38 (2022) 2, S.259-287 (29 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Kim, Kitaek)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0267-6583
DOI	10.1177/0267658320922594
Schlagwörter	English (Second Language); Syntax; Native Language; Korean; Second Language Learning; Second Language Instruction; Linguistic Theory; Language Proficiency; Decision Making; Task Analysis; Linguistic Input; Native Speakers; College Students; Foreign Countries; Student Attitudes; Transfer of Training; South Korea + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Koreanisch; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Linguistische Theorie; Language skill; Language skills; Sprachkompetenz; Decision-making; Entscheidungsfindung; Aufgabenanalyse; Sprachbildung; Muttersprachler; Collegestudent; Ausland; Schülerverhalten; Training; Transfer; Ausbildung; Korea; Republik
Abstract	In the English "tough" construction (TC), knowledge of "tough" movement is necessary for target performance (the object-interpretation only; e.g. "John is easy to see" e). The acquisition of the English TC raises a learnability problem for first-language (L1) Korean learners of English as a second language (L2): (1) Korean has no "tough" movement; (2) no input dictates that the 'subject interpretation' is disallowed in the English TC; and (3) no classroom instruction covers the English TC. According to the Fundamental Difference Hypothesis, L2 children -- but not L2 adults -- can overcome this learnability problem. L1-Korean adult (n = 49) and child (n = 30) L2 learners' (L2ers') knowledge of the English TC was assessed via a truth-value judgment task manipulating (1) verb transitivity to make the infinitival object gap more vs. less salient and (2) context to avoid vs. strengthen bias toward the (erroneous) subject interpretation. Notably, some high-proficiency adult L2ers showed significantly above-chance performance, despite the error-inducing manipulations, suggesting that adult L2ers can overcome the learnability problem. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01