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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. 256–278

Morphosyntactic cues primarily, and language use secondarily, determine transfer source in the L3 ‘Grappling Period’

 | Indiana University
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Abstract
This study tests the predictions of several third language (L3) wholesale and property-by-property transfer models regarding the use of morphosyntactic cues and language dominance/use for determining transfer source. L1 German-L2 English and L1 English-L2 German bilinguals were exposed to one of two Korean-based input conditions that varied in morphosyntactic similarity to each of the learners’ previously acquired grammars. Participants then completed production and judgement tasks in Korean for properties not evidenced in the input during the familiarization phase. Results suggest a primary role for morphosyntactic cues and a secondary role for language use. Additionally, more evidence of ‘mixed’ responses in the judgement than the production task suggests support for a ‘Grappling Period’. Results are most compatible with property-by-property transfer.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Mini-language studies
  • 3.Method
    • 3.1Participants
    • 3.2Materials
      • 3.2.1L3 familiarization
      • 3.2.2L3 testing
      • 3.2.3Secondary tasks
    • 3.3Procedure
  • 4.Results
    • 4.1Analysis
    • 4.2Sentence unscramble
    • 4.3AJT
  • 5.Discussion
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
References (26)
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