The document discusses key issues in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) focusing on the initial state that L2 learners bring to the acquisition process. It presents two basic positions: one where learners transfer all properties of their first language (L1) to the task, and another where they start with universal language principles without any L1 influence. The prevailing view in the literature supports the notion of L1 as the initial state, indicating a common agreement on the importance of L1 properties in SLA.

1. Key Issues in SLA

2. Issue 1 What is the initial state?
Starting point for L2 learners
What they bring to the task of SLA

3. 2 basic positions on initial state
1) The learner transfers all properties of L1 to the task
of SLA (L1= initial state hypothesis )
2) The learner begins with “Universal of Language”
and does not transfer anything from L1 to L2

4. Under no scenario does any theory or framework believe that
the learner comes to the task of acquisition as a “blank slate.”
Everyone believes something is there at the beginning of SLA;
the question is what.
Note!

5. The L1
Initial State
Universals

6. L1 = Initial state
 from the very beginning, all the properties of the L1 are
transferred into SLA (e.g., Schwartz & Sprouse, 1996).
 the learner assumes (unconsciously) that the L2 is just like
the L1. This is commonly referred to as full transfer.
 The job of the learner subsequently is to replace L1
properties with appropriate L2 properties. Within one theory
(Universal Grammar) this is often called “parameter
resetting”

7. Principle Vs. Parameter
The notion of these two term is related to the UG which was
proposed by Noam Chomsky. . a theory which claims to
account for the grammatical competence of every adult no
matter what language he or she speaks. It claims that every
speaker knows a set of principles which apply to all languages
and also a set of parameters that can vary from one language
to another, but only within certain limits.

8. Principle
Is universal
and fixed
Apply to all
languages
Parameter
Vary from one
language to
another
Its more specific
and determined
by the
environment

9. Driving a car…….???!!!
In all countries you may not be allowed to drive a car
unless you have a driving license so having driving
license is principle on the other hand say in the US
drivers drive from right side and in the UK they drive
from the left side so this would be a parameter varying
from one country to another.

10. Language Example . . .
Principle
Structure
dependency
Or general
principles of
sentence
formation
Parameter
Word order
Movement
rules

11. Universals = initial state
 L2 learners begin acquisition much like children learning
their first language
 They come to the task of SLA with whatever internal
mechanisms guiding language
 This can be called the no transfer position
 learner begins acquisition without making any
assumptions

12. L1
L1is the starting
point
Full transfer
theResetting
parameters
Universals
Internal
mechanisms
are the starting
point
No transfer
theSetting
parameters

13. L1 transfer, limited or partial?
Partial transfer Vainikka /Young-Scholte (1996)
Lexicon & Syntactic properties
Limited transfer Pienemann (1998)
continues to limit transferability of L1 because of his focus
on processing procedures for speech

14. Assessment
Based on the published literature to date, it
seems that the L1 = initial state position is more
widely accepted and appears to have the most
empirical support.