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Thesis Chapters by Karima Ben Abbes

Research paper thumbnail of The acquisition of French morpho-syntactic properties: Cross-linguistic Influence in the Learning of L3 French by Turkish/Spanish speakers who learned English as an L2

University of Essex, Research Repository, Dec 15, 2016

Many studies have investigated third language acquisition (L3A) as an independent area of researc... more Many studies have investigated third language acquisition (L3A) as an independent area of research. The core common interest of these studies has been to search for the source of cross-linguistic influence (CLI) among the previously acquired languages (i.e. L1 and L2) in the learning of an L3. In the domain of morpho-syntax, three competing hypotheses have emerged: one attributes a primary role to the L1 as the source of CLI (Jin, 2009; Hermas, 2014); a second proposes the L2 as the main source of transfer (Bardel and Falk, 2007; Falk and Bardel, 2011); while a third considers that the order of acquisition per se is not the significant factor triggering CLI in L3A, but rather the degree of typological proximity between the L1/L2 and the L3 (Rothman, 2011, 2013, 2015). This study set out to test these hypotheses in the learning of L3 French by two groups: L1 speakers of Spanish and L1 speakers of Turkish, both of whom had learned English as an L2. Each group was further sub-divided by their L2 proficiency into lower intermediates (LIs) and advanced (Adv). Using a ‘mixed methods approach’ consisting of quantitative and qualitative instruments, the acquisition of four morpho-syntactic properties was investigated: (i) Gender, (ii) Number Concord, (iii) Definiteness/Specificity and (iv) Verb Raising. Results were consistent with the proposal of Rothman (2011, 2013, 2015); (psycho)typological proximity seems indeed
to be a determining factor triggering CLI in L3A. However, unlike Rothman, who always
advocates holistic typological proximity, this study found evidence for CLI based on property-by-property structural similarity. In particular, it is argued that in the absence of clear holistic typological similarity, structural similarity on a property-by-property basis (actual and perceived) is the driving variable for CLI at the initial state of L3A. These findings led to the proposal of a new model entitled the property-based structural proximity (PSP) hypothesis.

Papers by Karima Ben Abbes

Research paper thumbnail of Cross-cultural perceptions of the role of L2 English in the learning of L3 French

This paper investigates the different perceptions adhered by two groups of participants L1 Spanis... more This paper investigates the different perceptions adhered by two groups of participants L1 Spanish and L1 Turkish natives who both had learnt English as an L2 up to two proficiency levels lower-intermediate (LIs) and advanced (Adv) prior to learning L3 French. More precisely, The main goal is to examine whether the language of communication (i.e. the L1) or the L2 that is also a means of communication, but mainly a medium of instruction is more 'privileged' to be the source of transfer when learning L3 French. Using a semi-structured questionnaire, both groups were asked to rate and justify how helpful the learning of L2 English before L3 French was, and how similar French and English are. Results revealed that though both groups have nearly the same amount of exposure to L2 English, i.e. the same frequency of use as a means of communication and also as a medium of instruction, they hold different perceptions towards how helpful learning English before learning L3 French is. Turkish subjects consider L2 English to be very helpful while the Spanish subjects consider L1 Spanish to have been much more helpful. Such findings are in marked disagreement with the traditional L3 model, the L2 status factor model (Bardel and Falk, 2007) which always privileges the L2 as the only source of transfer/effect in the learning of an L3, simply because the most recently learnt/used language before the L3 'blocks' any direct access to the linguistics system of the L1.

Research paper thumbnail of Article Choices in L3 French: Fluctuation or no Fluctuation

It is well documented that native speakers (NSs) of article-less ([-ART]) languages which have no... more It is well documented that native speakers (NSs) of article-less ([-ART]) languages which have no morphological marker for definiteness face difficulties in acquiring an L2 in which articles are present ([+ART]) (Hawkins et al., 2006; Ionin et al., 2004; Sarko, 2008). Ionin et al. (2004) claim that certain languages have morphological markers that encode definiteness [± Def] but not specificity [±Spec], while articles in some other languages encode specificity and not definiteness. This variability led Ionin and her colleagues to suggest that NNSs of a [-ART] L1 will fluctuate between the definiteness and the specificity settings when acquiring articles in an L2 until adequate input allows them to set the value of this parameter correctly. This has been formulated in the so-called the Fluctuation hypothesis (FH). Two other generative accounts have been proposed: the L1 transfer account (Sarko, 2008) which argues that the non native behaviour of [-ART] L1 speakers in their article selection in L2 is due to L1 transfer, while the feature-based account (Hawkins et al., 2006) states that the non native behaviour of learners of L2 article systems could be due to their mis-analysing the relevant features of the article system of L2, such as choosing [±Spec] instead of [±Def], rather than due to fluctuation. Extending this debate to the L3 field, results were more in line with the feature-based account than the L1 transfer hypothesis or the FH proposal.

Research paper thumbnail of The acquisition of French morpho-syntactic properties: Cross-linguistic Influence in the Learning of L3 French by Turkish/Spanish speakers who learned English as an L2

University of Essex, Research Repository, Dec 15, 2016

Many studies have investigated third language acquisition (L3A) as an independent area of researc... more Many studies have investigated third language acquisition (L3A) as an independent area of research. The core common interest of these studies has been to search for the source of cross-linguistic influence (CLI) among the previously acquired languages (i.e. L1 and L2) in the learning of an L3. In the domain of morpho-syntax, three competing hypotheses have emerged: one attributes a primary role to the L1 as the source of CLI (Jin, 2009; Hermas, 2014); a second proposes the L2 as the main source of transfer (Bardel and Falk, 2007; Falk and Bardel, 2011); while a third considers that the order of acquisition per se is not the significant factor triggering CLI in L3A, but rather the degree of typological proximity between the L1/L2 and the L3 (Rothman, 2011, 2013, 2015). This study set out to test these hypotheses in the learning of L3 French by two groups: L1 speakers of Spanish and L1 speakers of Turkish, both of whom had learned English as an L2. Each group was further sub-divided by their L2 proficiency into lower intermediates (LIs) and advanced (Adv). Using a ‘mixed methods approach’ consisting of quantitative and qualitative instruments, the acquisition of four morpho-syntactic properties was investigated: (i) Gender, (ii) Number Concord, (iii) Definiteness/Specificity and (iv) Verb Raising. Results were consistent with the proposal of Rothman (2011, 2013, 2015); (psycho)typological proximity seems indeed
to be a determining factor triggering CLI in L3A. However, unlike Rothman, who always
advocates holistic typological proximity, this study found evidence for CLI based on property-by-property structural similarity. In particular, it is argued that in the absence of clear holistic typological similarity, structural similarity on a property-by-property basis (actual and perceived) is the driving variable for CLI at the initial state of L3A. These findings led to the proposal of a new model entitled the property-based structural proximity (PSP) hypothesis.

Research paper thumbnail of Cross-cultural perceptions of the role of L2 English in the learning of L3 French

This paper investigates the different perceptions adhered by two groups of participants L1 Spanis... more This paper investigates the different perceptions adhered by two groups of participants L1 Spanish and L1 Turkish natives who both had learnt English as an L2 up to two proficiency levels lower-intermediate (LIs) and advanced (Adv) prior to learning L3 French. More precisely, The main goal is to examine whether the language of communication (i.e. the L1) or the L2 that is also a means of communication, but mainly a medium of instruction is more 'privileged' to be the source of transfer when learning L3 French. Using a semi-structured questionnaire, both groups were asked to rate and justify how helpful the learning of L2 English before L3 French was, and how similar French and English are. Results revealed that though both groups have nearly the same amount of exposure to L2 English, i.e. the same frequency of use as a means of communication and also as a medium of instruction, they hold different perceptions towards how helpful learning English before learning L3 French is. Turkish subjects consider L2 English to be very helpful while the Spanish subjects consider L1 Spanish to have been much more helpful. Such findings are in marked disagreement with the traditional L3 model, the L2 status factor model (Bardel and Falk, 2007) which always privileges the L2 as the only source of transfer/effect in the learning of an L3, simply because the most recently learnt/used language before the L3 'blocks' any direct access to the linguistics system of the L1.

Research paper thumbnail of Article Choices in L3 French: Fluctuation or no Fluctuation

It is well documented that native speakers (NSs) of article-less ([-ART]) languages which have no... more It is well documented that native speakers (NSs) of article-less ([-ART]) languages which have no morphological marker for definiteness face difficulties in acquiring an L2 in which articles are present ([+ART]) (Hawkins et al., 2006; Ionin et al., 2004; Sarko, 2008). Ionin et al. (2004) claim that certain languages have morphological markers that encode definiteness [± Def] but not specificity [±Spec], while articles in some other languages encode specificity and not definiteness. This variability led Ionin and her colleagues to suggest that NNSs of a [-ART] L1 will fluctuate between the definiteness and the specificity settings when acquiring articles in an L2 until adequate input allows them to set the value of this parameter correctly. This has been formulated in the so-called the Fluctuation hypothesis (FH). Two other generative accounts have been proposed: the L1 transfer account (Sarko, 2008) which argues that the non native behaviour of [-ART] L1 speakers in their article selection in L2 is due to L1 transfer, while the feature-based account (Hawkins et al., 2006) states that the non native behaviour of learners of L2 article systems could be due to their mis-analysing the relevant features of the article system of L2, such as choosing [±Spec] instead of [±Def], rather than due to fluctuation. Extending this debate to the L3 field, results were more in line with the feature-based account than the L1 transfer hypothesis or the FH proposal.