Sociolinguistic, extralinguistic and cognitive factors underlying L1 ...
Sociolinguistic, extralinguistic and cognitive factors underlying L1 ...
Sociolinguistic, extralinguistic and cognitive factors underlying L1 ...
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Agnieszka Kotula<br />
Working title: <strong>Sociolinguistic</strong>, <strong>extralinguistic</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>cognitive</strong> <strong>factors</strong> <strong>underlying</strong> <strong>L1</strong><br />
retention/proficiency among <strong>L1</strong> Polish attriters<br />
Research rationale:<br />
An ample body of research to date has been devoted to the various issues of second<br />
language acquisition (SLA). The research scope is too great to quote it here fully, but<br />
puzzles such as the <strong>L1</strong> (first language) influence on the acquisition of the second<br />
language (L2), the effects of various forms of L2 instruction, an array of L2<br />
acquisition settings, the role of sociological, biological <strong>and</strong> linguistic <strong>factors</strong>, as well<br />
as the effects of maturation processes have been, <strong>and</strong> are still being, explored by a<br />
galore of researchers. Within the last few decades an ample number of research<br />
projects have also been undertaken to investigate a sister subject, namely language<br />
attrition. The term ‘refers to a gradual decline in native language proficiency among<br />
migrants. As a speaker uses his/her L2 frequently <strong>and</strong> becomes proficient in it, some<br />
aspects of the <strong>L1</strong> can become subject to L2 influence or deteriorate due to the<br />
absence of confirming evidence in the input (Schmid 2009: 216).<br />
Various aspects of the phenomenon have been looked at from a number of angles.<br />
Some research focused primarily on the observable outcomes of <strong>L1</strong> attrition, such as<br />
changes or losses in various language components, such as accent retention (Major<br />
2010), syntax or lexis (Bar-Shalom <strong>and</strong> Zaretsky 2008) or fluency (Schmid <strong>and</strong><br />
Fägersten 2010). Other research studies concentrated around the <strong>underlying</strong> <strong>factors</strong><br />
having influence on the extent of attrition taking place. Among these, various<br />
research projects looked at the relationship between L2 acquisition <strong>and</strong> <strong>L1</strong> attrition<br />
(Optiz 2010), (Sharwood <strong>and</strong> Van Buren (1991), (Montrul 2005), (Pavlenko 2004),<br />
extra linguistic <strong>and</strong> sociolinguistic <strong>factors</strong> contributing to <strong>L1</strong> attrition, such as<br />
language affiliation, biological age, sex or education (Schmid <strong>and</strong> Dusseldorp 2010),<br />
(Kim 2008), <strong>and</strong> last but not least, the role of language aptitude <strong>and</strong> <strong>cognitive</strong><br />
maturation processes (Bylund, Abrahamsson <strong>and</strong> Hyltenstam 2009).
As <strong>L1</strong> attrition is a fully documented phenomenon, the purpose of this research will<br />
not be, for obvious reasons, to prove its existence or the depth <strong>and</strong> breadth per se.<br />
What will be the interest of this study is the latter, the <strong>underlying</strong> <strong>factors</strong> leading to<br />
attrition <strong>and</strong> more precisely, the <strong>factors</strong> that explain the lack of or a lesser degree of<br />
attrition processes among the <strong>L1</strong> attriters. Among these, the research will look at the<br />
possible <strong>factors</strong> contributing to these, such as, to start with, sociological setting of <strong>L1</strong><br />
attriters, i.e. the depth <strong>and</strong> breadth on <strong>L1</strong> input, the length of <strong>L1</strong> input, the length of<br />
residence in an L2 community, the level of education in general <strong>and</strong> the amount of<br />
education received in <strong>L1</strong>, the amount of interaction done though <strong>L1</strong> <strong>and</strong> other non<strong>cognitive</strong><br />
<strong>factors</strong> such as marital or family set up, belonging to any <strong>L1</strong> orientated<br />
organised bodies (clubs, churches or schools), etc.<br />
The other part of research will look at <strong>cognitive</strong> <strong>factors</strong> that might influence the extent<br />
of <strong>L1</strong> attrition, such as language aptitude <strong>and</strong> age effects.<br />
In the field of SLA the last two phenomena, separately or combined, have received a<br />
great deal of attention over the years <strong>and</strong> a number of most recent research papers<br />
have proven their significance in various settings <strong>and</strong> to various extents. The impact<br />
of the age of first exposure to L2 <strong>and</strong> language aptitude on the ultimate language<br />
attainment have been documented in such research papers as Johnson <strong>and</strong><br />
Newport (1989), DeKeyser (2000) or Abrahamson <strong>and</strong> Hyltemstam (2008). All<br />
conclude that there is a significant correlation between the early exposure to L2 <strong>and</strong><br />
the ultimate language proficiency. Broadly speaking, puberty is seen as a sensitive<br />
point that marks off the clear boundary for a predicted success at mastering L2,<br />
commonly referred to as Critical Period (CP). Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH)<br />
suggests that L2 learners exposed to the language at a later stage in their lives<br />
seem to not achieve as well in their ultimate L2 attainment as the ones with an early,<br />
pre-pubescent language exposure onset. DeKeyser (2000) goes to explain that the<br />
instances of L2 learners who begin acquiring L2 past puberty (CP) <strong>and</strong> still achieve<br />
native-like results in a Grammatically Judgemet Test (GJT) can be explained by their<br />
high language aptitude. Abrahamson <strong>and</strong> Hyltenstam’s (2008) study reveals that<br />
high language aptitude among late L2 starters is a contributing factor in their passing<br />
as a native speaker in everyday communication (but not, however, a sufficient<br />
condition for attaining the actual native-ness).
As previously implied, L2 acquisition <strong>and</strong> <strong>L1</strong> attrition might be conditioned by similar<br />
<strong>factors</strong>. Hence, <strong>L1</strong> attrition study has concentrated around the issues explored,<br />
previously or simultaneously, in SLA. Bylund (2009) suggests that the above<br />
mentioned maturation processes (CPH) so evident in SLA need to be looked at while<br />
studying the <strong>L1</strong> attrition <strong>and</strong> first research studies have been undertaken.<br />
In their most recent study (Bylund, Abrahamsson <strong>and</strong> Hyltenstam 2009) looked at<br />
the role of language aptitude in the case of 25 pre-pubescent attriters believing that<br />
this particular life stage represents an important turning point in <strong>L1</strong> attrition. They<br />
also set to find out whether language aptitude has a compensatory function in the<br />
attrition process. The conclusions seem to suggest that ‘a person with a high degree<br />
of aptitude (…) is (…) able to retain/develop a high level of <strong>L1</strong> proficiency despite<br />
limited <strong>L1</strong> contact (Bylund, Abrahamsson <strong>and</strong> Hyltenstam 2009: 358).<br />
The area leaves a lot of room to investigate, which is the purpose of the proposed<br />
research.<br />
This primary interest of this research is to capture the sociolinguistic, <strong>extralinguistic</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> <strong>cognitive</strong> <strong>factors</strong> <strong>underlying</strong> the hampering of <strong>L1</strong> attrition <strong>and</strong>/or <strong>factors</strong><br />
contributing to a high degree of <strong>L1</strong> retention/proficiency among a broad range of <strong>L1</strong><br />
attriters, with both adult <strong>and</strong> child <strong>L1</strong> attrition onset.<br />
The research will encapsulate <strong>and</strong> recreate previous studies done in the field,<br />
however, in a greater scope, incorporating <strong>and</strong> investigating in detail the age <strong>and</strong><br />
language aptitude <strong>factors</strong>, believed to have a significant influence on the attrition<br />
processes.<br />
Aims:<br />
The aim of this research is to investigate, whether <strong>and</strong> to what degree, various<br />
<strong>factors</strong> can hamper the process of <strong>L1</strong> attrition <strong>and</strong>/or enhance <strong>L1</strong><br />
retention/proficiency.
Hypothesis:<br />
Post-pubescent age of first <strong>L1</strong> input reduction <strong>and</strong> a high language aptitude<br />
contribute to the hampering of <strong>L1</strong> attrition <strong>and</strong> enhancing <strong>L1</strong> retention/proficiency.<br />
Research questions:<br />
• To what extent does the age of <strong>L1</strong> first input reduction contribute to <strong>L1</strong> attrition?<br />
• To what extent does language aptitude explain high <strong>L1</strong> retention/proficiency in<br />
early-age <strong>L1</strong> attriters?<br />
• To what extent does language aptitude influence <strong>L1</strong> retention/proficiency in lateage<br />
<strong>L1</strong> attriters?<br />
• To what extend do sociological <strong>and</strong> extrainguistic <strong>factors</strong> influence the<br />
retention/proficiency in early-age <strong>L1</strong> attritters?<br />
• To what extend do sociological <strong>and</strong> extrainguistic <strong>factors</strong> influence the<br />
retention/proficiency in later-age <strong>L1</strong> attritters?