A Response to Jordan's (2004) "Explanatory Adequacy and Theories of Second Language Acquisition"

Autor/in	Gregg, Kevin R.
Titel	A Response to Jordan's (2004) "Explanatory Adequacy and Theories of Second Language Acquisition"
Quelle	In: Applied Linguistics, 26 (2005) 1, S.121-124 (4 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0142-6001
Schlagwörter	Stellungnahme; Second Languages; Linguistic Theory; Second Language Learning; Evaluation Criteria; Criticism + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Second language; Zweitsprache; Linguistische Theorie; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Kritik
Abstract	In a recent paper (Jordan, Geoff Jordan takes issue with some of my claims about second language acquisition (SLA) theory. Specifically, he queries the necessity of a property theory, and he finds my discussion of explanation unsatisfactory. In this brief reply, I try to answer his criticisms. In a brief but interesting paper, Geoff Jordan (2004: 539) raises the issue of explanation in SLA theory. Jordan lists the following "key questions" in discussing theories of SLA: (i) What is the domain of a theory of SLA? (ii) What counts as a good explanation of the phenomena in that domain? (iii) What criteria should be used to evaluate competing theories in the same domain? (iv) Is there any need to keep to a minimum the number of rival theories in a domain? He finds my answers "not entirely satisfactory." I'm happy to agree with him. Still, I'm afraid I find his specific criticisms misplaced, and in what follows I'll try to briefly show why. (Author).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10