1887
Volume 11, Issue 5
  • ISSN 1879-9264
  • E-ISSN: 1879-9272
GBP
Buy:£15.00 + Taxes

Abstract

Abstract

This study examined corpus data from learners of Japanese whose L1s are English, Korean, and Mandarin (as well as native-speaker Japanese controls), in order to investigate the effect of two separate (but sometimes conflated) potential influences on overt pronoun production in the L2: (i) whether or not the L1 is a topic-drop language (like Japanese), and (ii) the properties of overt pronouns in the L1 compared to those of Japanese. In order to investigate (i), the rate of overt pronoun use in topic/argument position for all three learner groups was tabulated and compared to that of native speakers. In order to investigate (ii), total rate of overt pronoun use in all positions was tabulated, as well as the type of case-/discourse-marking particles that accompanied overt pronouns in each learner group, compared to native speakers. Results show no influence of L1 topic-drop status, but some influence of L1 overt pronoun properties, in the form of (a) interactions between the morphosyntax of pronouns and broader DP/NP structure in the L1 and L2, and (b) shared discourse properties of the overt pronoun in the L1 and L2.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/lab.19007.nag
2020-01-21
2024-04-19
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. ACTFL
    ACTFL (2012) ACTFL proficiency guidelines – speaking. www.actfl.org, accessedDecember, 2018.
  2. Bates, D. M. , Machler, M. , Bolker, B. , & Walker, S.
    (2015) Fitting linear mixed-effects models using lme4. Journal of Statistical Software, 67(1), 1–48. 10.18637/jss.v067.i01
    https://doi.org/10.18637/jss.v067.i01 [Google Scholar]
  3. Chang, H. , & Zheng, L.
    (2018) Asymmetries of null subjects and null objects in L1-English and L1-Japanese learners’ Chinese. Linguistics, 56(5), 1141–1166. 10.1515/ling‑2018‑0021
    https://doi.org/10.1515/ling-2018-0021 [Google Scholar]
  4. Chierchia, G.
    (1998) Reference to kinds across languages. Natural Language Semantics, 6, 339–405. 10.1023/A:1008324218506
    https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008324218506 [Google Scholar]
  5. Gundel, J. , Hedberg, N. , & Zacharski, R.
    (1993) Cognitive status and the form of referring expressions in discourse. Language, 69(2), 274–307. 10.2307/416535
    https://doi.org/10.2307/416535 [Google Scholar]
  6. Han, N. R.
    (2006) Korean zero pronouns: Analysis and resolution. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Huang, C. T.
    (1984) On the distribution and reference of empty pronouns. Linguistic Inquiry, 15(4), 531–574.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. (1989) Pro-drop in Chinese: A generalized control theory. In O. Jaeggli , & K. Safir (Eds.), The null subject parameter (pp.185–214). Dordrecht: Kluwer. 10.1007/978‑94‑009‑2540‑3_6
    https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2540-3_6 [Google Scholar]
  9. Huang, C. T. , Li, Y. H. , & Li, Y.
    (2009) The syntax of Chinese. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9781139166935
    https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139166935 [Google Scholar]
  10. Jaeggli, O. , & Safir, K.
    (1989) The null subject parameter and parametric theory. In O. Jaeggli , & K. Safir (Eds.), The null subject parameter (pp.1–44). Dordrecht: Kluwer. 10.1007/978‑94‑009‑2540‑3_1
    https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2540-3_1 [Google Scholar]
  11. Jia, L. , & Bayley, R.
    (2002) Null pronoun variation in Mandarin Chinese. University of Pennsylvania Working Papers in Linguistics, 8(3), 103–116.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Jin, H. G.
    (1994) Topic-prominence and subject-prominence in L2 acquisition: Evidence of English-to-Chinese typological transfer. Language learning, 44(1), 101–122.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Jung, E. H.
    (1999) A look at interlanguage development: The case of acquiring topic-prominence in spoken Korean by English L2 learners. InProceedings of the 24th Annual Boston University Conference on Language Development. Somerville: Cascadilla Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Kamada, O.
    (2006) KY-koopasu to nihongo kyooiku kenkyuu [KY corpus and Japanese language education research]. Nihongo Kyooiku [Journal of Japanese Language Teaching], 130, 42–51.
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Kim-Renaud, Y. K.
    (2012) Modern Korean. in N. Tranter (Ed.), The languages of Japan and Korea (pp.123–167). New York: Routledge.
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Kuroda, S. Y.
    (1965) Generative grammatical studies in Japanese. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). MIT, Boston.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Lardiere, D.
    (2008) Feature assembly in second language acquisition. In J. M. Liceras , H. Zobl and H. Goodluck (Eds.), The role of formal features in second language acquisition (pp.106–40). New York: Lawrence Erlbaum.
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Lee, S.
    (2014) Language learners’ retrieval strategies as shown in topic-controlled deletion in topic chains: A comparison between Chinese and Korean native speakers’ interlanguages. Language Research, 50(1), 91–119.
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Lee, I. , & Ramsey, S. R.
    (2000) The Korean Language. Albany: SUNY Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Lee, D. , & Yonezawa, Y.
    (2008) The role of the overt expression of first and second person subject in Japanese. Journal of Pragmatics, 40, 733–767. 10.1016/j.pragma.2007.06.004
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2007.06.004 [Google Scholar]
  21. Li, C. N. , & Thompson, S. A.
    (1989) Mandarin Chinese: A functional reference grammar. Los Angeles: Univ. of California Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Li, X.
    (2014) Variation in subject pronominal expression in L2 Chinese. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 36(1), 39–68. 10.1017/S0272263113000466
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263113000466 [Google Scholar]
  23. Li, Y. A.
    (1999) Plurality in a classifier language. Journal of East Asian Linguistics, 8(1), 75–99. 10.1023/A:1008306431442
    https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1008306431442 [Google Scholar]
  24. Nakahama, Y.
    (2009) Cross-linguistic influence on referent introduction and tracking in Japanese as a second language. The Modern Language Journal, 93(2), 241–260. 10.1111/j.1540‑4781.2009.00859.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2009.00859.x [Google Scholar]
  25. National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics
    National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics (2010) Nihongo Gakushuusha Kaiwa Deetabeesu [Japanese Learners’ Conversation Database]. https://nknet.ninjal.ac.jp/nknet/ndata/opi/, accessedNovember, 2017.
  26. Noguchi, T.
    (1997) Two types of pronouns and variable binding. Language, 73(4), 770–797. 10.1353/lan.1997.0021
    https://doi.org/10.1353/lan.1997.0021 [Google Scholar]
  27. Norman, J.
    (1988) Chinese. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Obana, Y.
    (2003) The use of kare/kanojo in Japanese society today. New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies, 5(1), 139–155.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Oh, S. Y.
    (2007) Overt reference to speaker and recipient in Korean. Discourse Studies, 9(4), 462–492. 10.1177/1461445607079163
    https://doi.org/10.1177/1461445607079163 [Google Scholar]
  30. Ono, T. , & Thompson, S.
    (2003) Japanese (w)atashi/ore/boku “I”: They’re not just pronouns. Cognitive Linguistics, 14(4), 321–347. 10.1515/cogl.2003.013
    https://doi.org/10.1515/cogl.2003.013 [Google Scholar]
  31. Polio, C.
    (1995) Acquiring nothing?: The use of zero pronouns by nonnative speakers of Chinese and the implications for the acquisition of nominal reference. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 17(3), 353–377. 10.1017/S0272263100014248
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263100014248 [Google Scholar]
  32. R Core Team
    R Core Team (2017) R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. URLhttps://www.R-project.org/
    [Google Scholar]
  33. Russell, R.
    (2004) Acquisition and attrition of -wa and -ga in Japanese as a second language. In J. Cohen , K. McAlister , K. Rolstad & J. MacSwan , (Eds.), Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Bilingualism (pp.2020–2036). Somerville: Cascadilla Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  34. Saito, Mamoru , Lin, T. H. , & Murasugi, K.
    (2008) N’-ellipsis and the structure of noun phrases in Chinese and Japanese. Journal of East Asian Linguistics, 17, 247–271. 10.1007/s10831‑008‑9026‑8
    https://doi.org/10.1007/s10831-008-9026-8 [Google Scholar]
  35. Slabakova, R.
    (2016) Second language acquisition. Oxford University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  36. Sorace, A.
    (2011) Pinning down the concept of interface in bilingualism. Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism, 1(1), 3–33. 10.1075/lab.1.1.01sor
    https://doi.org/10.1075/lab.1.1.01sor [Google Scholar]
  37. Uemura, R.
    (1997) Deetabeesu de siraberu [Research using databases]. Nihongo-gaku [Japanese Linguistics], 16(12), 60–68.
    [Google Scholar]
  38. Watanabe, A.
    (2008) The Structure of DP. In Miyagawa, S. (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Japanese Linguistics.
    [Google Scholar]
  39. Xie, T.
    (1992) Topic-Controlled Deletion in Topic Chains in Chinese: A comparison between native speakers and foreign language learners. Journal of the Chinese Language Teachers Association, 28(3), 21–31.
    [Google Scholar]
  40. Yanagimachi, T.
    (2000) JFL learners’ referential-form choice in first-through third-person narratives. Japanese Language Education around the Globe, 109–128.
    [Google Scholar]
  41. Zushi, M.
    (2003) Null arguments: the case of Japanese and Romance. Lingua, 113: 559–604. 10.1016/S0024‑3841(02)00085‑2
    https://doi.org/10.1016/S0024-3841(02)00085-2 [Google Scholar]
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.1075/lab.19007.nag
Loading
/content/journals/10.1075/lab.19007.nag
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): genitive; Japanese; pronoun; second language acquisition; topic-drop
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error