This document discusses language interference that occurs when learning a second language. It defines L1 as one's native or first language and L2 as a second language learned afterwards. L1 interference happens when a learner's first language influences their acquisition of the second language. This can cause positive transfer, when rules of both languages are similar, or negative transfer, when rules conflict. Negative transfer leads to errors in areas like pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary and semantics. The document provides examples and discusses factors that can influence the degree of interference, like differences between the languages. It concludes that learning involves mistakes and the L1 can both help and hinder L2 learning depending on similarities and differences between the languages.

2. Presented To :
Ma’m Mahvish Mokal
Presented By:
Khawaja Shafique
Naila Hanif
DEPT. OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
THE UNIVERSITY OF LAHORE

3. Topic
L1 Interference

4. Introduction
Human learning is fundamentally a process that
involves the making of mistakes.
L2 learning is a process that is clearly not unlike L1
learning in its trial-and-error nature

5. L1 or Mother Tongue .
L1 is a speaker’s first language and it is also
known as mother tongue , first language and
native language.

6. L2 or second Language: This term is used
to refer to a language which is not a mother
tongue but which is used for certain
communicative functions in a society. It is
learned after the first language (L1) or mother
tongue. For example: English is a second
language in Pakistan

7. L1 Interference
L1 interference or language transfer
occurs when a learner’s primary language
influences his/her progress in the
secondary language.

8. Interference most commonly
affects pronunciation ,
grammar, structures,
vocabulary, and semantics.

9. Positive
Transfer
Negative
Transfer
Types of
Interference

10. Positive Transfer Negative Transfer
When the L1 and
L2 of the learners
have common rules,
it is called positive
transfer
Negative transfer
occurs when the
rules of L2 and L1
of the learners are
conflict with each
other. This is the
cause of numerous
mistakes that the L2
learners may
encounters

11. Example of negative Transfer:
English I like to read
Urdu I read to like

12. Example of positive Transfer:
Police is coming.
Police are coming.

13. Phonological interference:
Phonological interference is
a common type of
interference, its most
prominent manifestation
being a “foreign accent
including stress, rhyme,
intonation and speech
sounds from the first
language influencing the
second language”.
Lexical errors:
Meaning related words
that have similar or related
meanings are confused and
the wrong choice is made.

14. Syntactic
errors:
Grammatical
interference:
The include errors in
verb form and tenses
and in sentence
structure..
Grammatical
interference is defined
as the first language
influencing the second
in terms of word order,
use of pronouns, and
tense.
Syntactic
errors:
Grammatical
interference:

15. Factors that cause interference.
According to wienrich (1970:64-650)
 Speakers bilingualism background.
 Disloyalty to target language.
 The limited vocabulary of TL mastered
by learner.
 Needs of synonym.
 Prestige and style.

16. According to Lott (1983: 258-59)
 The interlingual factor.
 The over extension of analogy.
 Transfer of structure.

17. L1 INFLUENCE AND
LEARNER LANGUAGE
 Learner’s knowledge of their L1 helps them to learn the
parts of the L2 that are similar to the L1.
 The L1 may interact with learner’s developmental
sequences of the L2.
 When learner's interlanguage form does not cause any
difficulty in communication meaning, they may find it
difficult to get rid it of . (i.e. fossilization)

18. Conclusion
Human learning is fundamentally a process that involves
the making of mistakes
First Language interference influences in learning the
target language. It has positive and negative effects. The
greater the differences between the two languages, the
more negative the effects of interference are likely to be.

19. Suggestion
It is important for teacher to know the differences and
similarities between learner’s native language and the target
language. By knowing them teacher will be easier to decide
what strategy, methodology or what material that will be used
in teaching second or foreign language