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In:New Frontiers and Connections in Second Language Acquisition: Selected Proceedings of the 17th Generative Approaches to Second Language Acquisition (GASLA-17) Conference
Edited by Tania Ionin and Silvina Montrul
[Language Acquisition and Language Disorders 71] 2026
► pp. 8–32

Acquisition of universal constraints by Japanese learners of English

A case of the that-trace effect involving adverbial intervention

 | University of Tsukuba
 | University of Tsukuba
This content is being prepared for publication; it may be subject to changes.
Abstract
This study examines whether Japanese learners of English (JLEs) can acquire universal constraints on syntactic movement (e.g., anti-locality), focusing on the that-trace effect and its amelioration effects through adverbial intervention (i.e., the adverb effect). Two acceptability judgement experiments were conducted to investigate JLEs’ sensitivity to these effects across proficiency levels. The results showed that JLEs are sensitive to that-trace violations and adverb effects with increased English proficiency. In addition, more proficient learners showed a preference for null complementizers over overt that, a pattern consistent with English native speakers. These findings suggest that the anti-locality constraint is operative in the L2 grammar of JLEs, supporting the Full Access view of second language acquisition.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.An anti-locality approach to the that-trace effect
  • 3.Previous L2 acquisition research on universal constraints
    and the that-trace effect
  • 4.The experimental study
    • 4.1Participants
    • 4.2Materials
    • 4.3Procedure
    • 4.4Analysis
  • 5.Results
    • 5.1The that-trace effect
    • 5.2The adverb effect
      • 5.2.1Native speakers
      • 5.2.2Japanese learners of English
  • 6.Discussion
    • 6.1The role of anti-locality in L2 grammar
    • 6.2Types of intervening adverbials
    • 6.3Near-native speakers vs. L2 learners
    • 6.4The ‘that’ effect
  • 7.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
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