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In:Multilingual Acquisition and Learning: An ecosystemic view to diversity
Edited by Elena Babatsouli
[Studies in Bilingualism 67] 2024
► pp. 426–449

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Chapter 16
A revised Natural Growth Theory of Acquisition

Evidence from L3 phonology

 | Adam Mickiewicz University
 | Adam Mickiewicz University
Published online: 30 May 2024
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/sibil.67.16dzi
Abstract
Different theories have been put forward to model bilingual acquisition, yet only few assume a multilingual perspective. In this chapter, the authors aim to briefly overview relevant theoretical approaches to L2/L3 acquisition and offer a revised version of a new framework, which can account for the complexity of the acquisition process. In this theory, the authors want to modify and extend the explanatory potential offered by classic natural phonology with the epistemological support from complex systems and with inductive support from the data. The assumptions of the Natural Growth Theory of Acquisition are further developed based on principled explanations and inductive data-driven accounts. In this contribution, selected data from studies on third language phonology (L3 phonology) are reinterpreted for this purpose.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Overview of models of L2/L3 acquisition
  • 3.Natural Growth Theory of Acquisition: A revised proposal
    • 3.1Epistemological background
    • 3.2NGTA: Principled explanations
    • 3.3Revised NGTA
  • 4.NGTA – inductive data-driven account from L3 phonology
    • 4.1Study design
    • 4.2Results
    • 4.3Discussion
      • 4.3.1Study 1
      • 4.3.2Study 2
      • 4.3.3Study 3
  • 5.Conclusions and future research
  • Notes
  • References
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