The Role of Formal Features in Second Language Acquisition

Using Chomsky's minimalist program as a framework, this volume explores the role of formal (or functional) features in current descriptions and accounts of language acquistion. In engaging, up-to-date articles, distinguished experts examine the role of features in current versions of generative grammar and in learnibility theory as it relates to native, non-native, and impaired acquisition.

Juana Liceras, Helmut Zobl, Helen Goodluck

Contents: Introduction: Formal Features in Linguistic Theory and Learnability: The View From Second Language Acquisition. Part I:Linguistic Theory and Learnability.L. Travis, The Role of Features in Syntactic Theory and Language Variation. C. Platzack, Uninterpretable Features and EPP: A Minimalist Account of Language Build-Up and Break-Down. A. Radford, Feature Correlations in Nominative Case-Marking in L1, L2 and Native English. D. Lardiere, Feature-Assembly in Second Language Acquisition. Part II: Determiner Phrase Related Features. I.M. Tsimpli, M. Mastropavlou, Feature-Interpretability in L2 Acquisition and SLI: Greek Clitics and Determiners. C. Jakubowicz, L. Roulet, Narrow Syntax or Interface Deficit? Gender Agreement in French SLI. T. Ionin, H. Ko, K. Wexler, The Role of Semantic Features in the Acquisition of English Articles by Russian and Korean Speakers. J.B. de Garavito, Acquisition of the Spanish Plural by French L1 Speakers: The Role of Transfer. Part III: Inflection Phrase and Aspect Phrase-Related Related Features. Section 1: Finiteness, Agreement, and Tense. L. White, Some Puzzling Features of L2 Features. R. Hawkins, G. Casillas, H. Hattori, J. Hawthorne, R. Husted, C. Lozano, A. Okamoto, E. Thomas, K. Yamada, The Semantic Effects of Verb Raising and Its Consequences in Second Language Grammars. P. Prévost, Knowledge of Morphology and Syntax in Early Adult L2 French: Evidence for the Missing Surface Inflection Hypothesis. I. Leung, The Verbal Functional Domain in L2A and L3A: Tense and Agreement in Cantonese-English-French Interlanguage. Section 2: Aspect. E. Gavruseva, On the Role of DP in the Acquisition of Finiteness in Child L2 English. A.T. Pérez-Leroux, A. Cuza, M. Majzlanova, J.S. Naranjo, Non-Native Recognition of Iterative and Habitual Meanings of Spanish Preterite and Imperfect Tenses. R. Slabakova, S. Montrul, Aspectual Shifts: Grammatical and Pragmatic Knowledge in L2 Acquisition. L. Díaz, A. Bel, K. Bekiou, The Role of Morphological Features in the Acquisition of Spanish Aspectual Differences. Part IV:Complementizer Phrase-Related Features.S. Flynn, I. Winnitska, C. Foley, Complementizer Phrase Features in Child L1 and Adult L3 Acquisition. E. Valenzuela, On Complementizer Pharase Positions in L2 Spanish.