Chapter 6 Key Concepts

cognates

Words in related languages that developed from the same ancestral root and therefore have a same or similar form across languages (e.g., “chair” in English and “chaise” in French).

developmental sequences

Fixed series of stages in language development (phonological, syntactic, semantic), such as the sequence for developing negation.

fossilization

Aspects of the learner’s interlanguage that appear to “fossilize” or remain permanently fixed as non-native-like structures or sounds.

interlanguage pragmatics (ILP)

The study of the effects of context and situation on meaning across languages.

language corpora

Large sets of usually computerized language data, making it easier to discover frequencies or patterns.

markedness

Notion that certain features are more natural, frequent, or basic than others across languages, or unmarked, while others are less so, or marked.

markedness differential hypothesis

This hypothesis proposes that, in general, if a given language contains a marked structure, it is likely to contain the unmarked equivalent as well.

Multidimensional Model

Model of L2 syntactic growth; developmental features are acquired in a fixed order due to processing constraints, while variational features allow for individual differences.

pragmatics

The study of how context and situation affect meaning.

Processability Theory

Theory suggesting that the processing load required to carry out syntactic manipulations at various stages of the Multidimensional Model can explain the order of stages.

Speech Learning Model (SLM)

Predicts L2 sounds similar to ones in L1 will be difficult to perceive/produce since learners already have L1 categories; entirely new sounds will be easier to perceive and produce.

Teachability Hypothesis

Hypothesis based on the Multidimensional Model and Processability Theory—one can only successfully teach what the L2 learner is cognitively ready to learn.