9.6: Neurolinguistics and Second Language Learning

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Just like EEG can give us insights into the mental grammar of native speakers of a language, it can also reveal things about how L2 learners develop a mental grammar for the language they’re learning. The results suggest that L2 learners can achieve native-like responses in syntax and semantics, with enough study and practice.

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Check Yourself

1. French uses morphology indicate whether nouns, adjectives and determiners are masculine or feminine. If an L1 speaker of English is learning French, what kind of transfer are they likely to experience in learning this property of French grammar?

Positive transfer.
Negative transfer.

2. Russian does not have definite or indefinite determiners like English a and the. If an L1 speaker of Russian is learning English, what kind of transfer are they likely to experience in learning this property of English grammar?

Positive transfer.
Negative transfer.

3. Russian groups nouns by their grammatical gender, either masculine, feminine or neuter. Look again at the facts about French presented in Question 1. If an L1 speaker of Russian is learning French, what kind of transfer are they likely to experience in learning this property of French grammar?

Positive transfer.
Negative transfer.

Answers