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Interlanguage - Transfer

The document discusses the concept of 'interlanguage', a term coined by Selinker to describe the transitional linguistic state of second-language learners, which is neither fully aligned with their native language (L1) nor the target language (L2). It highlights the systematic nature of errors made by learners, influenced by language transfer, which can be positive or negative. Additionally, it addresses the challenges adults face in fully acquiring a second language compared to children, often resulting in fossilization of their interlanguage.

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17 views7 pages

Interlanguage - Transfer

The document discusses the concept of 'interlanguage', a term coined by Selinker to describe the transitional linguistic state of second-language learners, which is neither fully aligned with their native language (L1) nor the target language (L2). It highlights the systematic nature of errors made by learners, influenced by language transfer, which can be positive or negative. Additionally, it addresses the challenges adults face in fully acquiring a second language compared to children, often resulting in fossilization of their interlanguage.

Uploaded by

nihalartt2018
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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EL KEMMA_Interlanguage and transfer 1

APPLIED LINGUISTICS

INTERLANGUAGE
&
TRANSFER
EL KEMMA_Interlanguage and transfer 2

Interlanguage (Selinker)
• Language learners possess a knowledge which is equivalent
NEITHER to L1 NOR to L2. This linguistic knowledge is their
‘interlanguage’ (Carter, 1993).
• →Does this state give you any idea about the type of errors L2
learners would make?
• …the ‘erros’ that learners made were not random, but reflected a
systematic, if incomplete, knowledge of the L2 (Corder, 1967).
• Selinker (1972) coined the term ‘interlanguage’ to refer to the
type of language produced by second- and foreign-language
learners who are in the process of learning a language.
• Such an in-between position the learner occupies in their foreign
language learning is a kind of a transitional stage that the foreign
language learner reaches, and which is characterised by partial
control of the target language.
EL KEMMA_Interlanguage and transfer 3

Interlanguage (Selinker)
• Different linguists use other names to refer to ‘Interlanguage’:
• Corder (1967) gives it the name ‘Transitional competence’ to
describe foreign language learners’ linguistic ability which did not
match that of native speakers (it refers to the learner’s competence at
a particular time).
• Corder (1971) calls it Idiosyncratic dialect (each individual has his
own dialect). He says that this dialect of the learners is (1) regular,
(2) systematic and (3) meaningful.
• Nemser (1971) termed it ‘Approximative system’ (Approximation
to TL) to identify a learner’s linguistic system which is distinct from
his MT and the TL he is attempting to learn. By the term
‘Approximative’, he means that the learner is progressing towards
the TL and his system is developmental in nature. The term system
implies that he is using a set of rules and hence his language is not
random.
EL KEMMA_Interlanguage and transfer 4

Interlanguage (Selinker)
• Children→ always succeed in completely Why this
acquiring their native language. difference
between acquiring
• Adults→ only very rarely succeed in completely L1 (child) and L2
acquiring a second language. (adult)??
• The goal behind ‘interlanguage research’ is to explain this difference
and explain the ultimate failure of interlanguages to reach a state of
identity with the target language (Tarone, 2006).
• A central characteristic of any interlanguage is that it fossilizes – that is,
it ceases to develop at some point short of full identity with the target
language. Thus, the adult second-language learner never achieves a
level of facility in the use of the target comparable to that achievable by
any child acquiring the target as a native language.
EL KEMMA_Interlanguage and transfer 5

Interlanguage (Selinker)
• This is because while learning the target language, the learner is likely
to be influenced by certain processes, such as “language transfer”.
• Language transfer is the effect of one language on the learning of
another.
• Two types of language transfer may occur:
• 1. Positive Transfer: If L1 and L2 have similar features (e.g. marking
plural on the ends of nouns, Voc items, etc.), then the learner may be
able to benefit from the positive transfer of L1 knowledge to the L2.
• 2. Negative Transfer (interference): Transferring an L1 feature that is
really different from the L2 (e.g. putting the adjective after the noun)
results in negative transfer and it may make the L2 expression difficult
to understand.
• Negative transfer is more common in the early stages of L2 learning
and often decreases as the learner develops familiarity with the L2.
EL KEMMA_Interlanguage and transfer 6

False cognates
Library vs Une librairie
• In English, a ‘library’ is a place where you can go to borrow books.
• In French, ‘une librairie’ is a bookstore (i.e. a place you go
to buy books).
• The place you go to borrow books in French would be ‘une
bibliothèque’.
• Actually vs Actuellement
• Emphasizing surprise in English while meaning ‘currently’ in French.
• 'I miss you' vs 'Je te manque’
• ‘I miss you’ in English, but ‘you miss me in French’.
• In English, if you say, ‘I miss you’, it implies that I am the person who
is doing the missing. In other words, I am the one feeling the emotion
of missing you.
• In French, if you say ‘je te manque’, it means that you miss me. It’s
almost as if you’re saying, ‘I’m missing a part of myself because
you’re not here’. Quite poetic, don’t you think?
EL KEMMA_Interlanguage and transfer 7

Thank you

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