LANGUAGE TRANSFER IN LANGUAGE LEARNING AND LANGUAGE CONTACT(ARABSKI, 2006)

Emrah GÜLTEKİNFethiye ERBİLElif METBurcu ÜVERH. Esra ŞİMŞEK

Language Transfer

What do you think is language transfer?

IN LANGUAGE LEARNING SITUATION:

The behaviorist approach?

Transfer is a process described as the automatic uncontrolled and subconscious use of past learner behaviors in the attempt to produce new responses. In this sense, transfer may be of two types:

negative and positive.

Langage Transfer – Behaviorist Approach

negative transfer?examples?

Correct because new and old behaviour is the same.

Incorrect because old, habitual behaviour is different from new behaviour.

positive transfer(facilitation)?

examples?

Language Transfer

IN OTHER LANGUAGE SITUATIONS in which different language systems are put into contact with each other

1- Language contact (LC)2- Dialect contact (DC)3- Foreign Language Learning (LL)

Language Situations

Foreign Language Learning (LL): Two different languages are put in contact with each other when the two systems are entirely different.

Turkish - English

Language Situations

Language contact (LC): Not only represents the contact of languages but the contact of cultures.

Spanish - Italian

Language Situations

Dialect contact (DC): Different dialects of the same language system.

American English – British English

Discussion Point:

In these three situations (LC, LL, DC): How language transfer functions? In what intensity language transfer

functions?

*How these three types of contact differ from each other?

The Intensity of Language Transfer Depends on the type of Language Contact: The genetical distance between L1 and L2

is important:

If they are genetically closer, language transfer occurs more (Arabski,2006).

Ex: More transfer between Polish and Russian (both positive and negative) than Polish and English

Fethiye’s experience (Italian, Spanish, Turkish)

The Intensity of Language Transfer Also depends on the stage of

interlanguage developmentin

tensi

ty o

f tr

anse

r

the proficiency of the learner

Language Transfer

Two other factors are effective on language transfer:

Age of learners:Less frequent among children whose L1 system is not yet strong enough

Markedness /unmarkedness of structures:

Marked structures are not transferred (cf Kellerman, 1983)

ex: it is raining cats and dogs (kediler köpekler yağıyor)*

bardaktan boşanırcasına yağmur yağıyor

Simplification

L2 is simplified under the influence of L1.

Polish “w” has many English counterparts:in March – w Marcu in Marchon Sunday – w niedzlele *in Sundayat home – w domu *in home

As a result, “w” is selected to simplify the English system- it is used instead many other counterparts resulting in interlanguage forms.

Have you had any difficulties concerning English sound system?

We have

bad vs bed law, cow...Three vs tree

CULTURE

According to Arabski (2006), it is the culture which is transferred, language structures are being part of it.

The new lexical items are needed because of: New political and economic situations Technological developments New styles of life

To what extent do you think culture has influence over lexical transfer?

The character of the loans reflect the character of cultural contact in:

Politics: French Literature: PersianLifestyle: Arabic

Any examples???

Language Transfer

However, in the case of polish – English, the word order is sometimes affected as well.The Polish allows to use adjectives both before and after the noun, after the noun being more frequent.

Debowy las – las debowy (oakwood) the same meaning

But after the influence of English, using adjectives before nouns becomes more frequent.

Pan mtody(groom) vs. mtody pan(young gentlemen) meaning changes

The influence of L2 does not go much beyond lexis.

Do you agree?Can you give any examples?

Accomodation

Accomodation theory focuses on speech. It discusses and attempts to explain why speakers modify their language in the presence of others and to the extend that they do.

In the context of dialect contact, the process is the acquisition of the salient features of the target dialect.

ex: Çekirdek-çiğdem,

simit-gevrek

ex: sweater – pullover,

toilet - lavatory

Resistance to Foreign Influence in Language Contact

In the case of Polish-English contact, the lexical contact is the most obvious. However, phonology is the most resistant one.

D: Phonology

C: Morphology

B: Syntax

A: Pragmatics

DC

BA

Why do we transfer?

We borrow foreign words or accommodate other dialect forms, because L2 happens to be inadequate for us to express ourselves.

We have difficulty in: Communicating in a foreign language (LL) Naming newproducts, institutions, etc.

(LC) Sounding like another dialect speaker (DC)

The only real language contact situation is the LL (language learning) situation.

LC (language contact) situation differs because it represents not the contact of language systems, but the contact of cultures.

DC (dialect contact) serves to provide identification with different dialect speakers. Borrowing happens when there is a need for communication.

Language Learning, Language Contact and Dialect Contact

Motivation: the force to identify with target culture and dialect

Idenfication: determining different cultures and dialects

Communication: as a kind of integrative motivation

Selection: Not every L2 structure is acquired. The structures which are salient or necessary are acquired, borrowed or accommodated in order.

IdentificationMotivationCommunicationSelection

LL (Foreign Language Learning)LC (Language Contact)DC (Dialect Contact)

Domains of Social Psychology of Language

As a conclusion...

Note that what we have dissucced is from the point of linguistics.

LL, LC and DC have many features in common.

These features appear with different intensity in the three three types of language contacts. Their priorities are also different from each type of language contact.