Incomplete Acquisition in Bilingualism
Re-examining the Age Factor
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Age effects have played a particularly prominent role in some theoretical perspectives on second language acquisition. This book takes an entirely new perspective on this issue by re-examining these theories in light of the existence of apparently similar non-native outcomes in adult heritage speakers who, unlike adult second language learners, acquired two or more languages in childhood. Despite having been exposed to their family language early in life, many of these speakers never fully acquire, or later lose, aspects of their first language sometime in childhood. The book examines the structural characteristics of "incomplete" grammatical states and highlights how age of acquisition is related to the type of linguistic knowledge and behavior that emerges in L1 and L2 acquisition under different environmental circumstances. By underscoring age of acquisition as a unifying factor in the study of L2 acquisition and L1 attrition, it is claimed that just as there are age effects in L2 acquisition, there are also age effects, or even perhaps a critical period, in L1 attrition. The book covers adult L2 acquisition, attrition in adults and in children, and includes a comparison of adult heritage language speakers and second language learners.
[Studies in Bilingualism, 39]
2008.
x, 312 pp.
Publishing status: Available
Hardbound – Available
ISBN
9789027241757
|
EUR
99.00
|
USD
149.00
Paperback – Available
ISBN
9789027241801
|
EUR
36.00
|
USD
54.00
e-Book – Sold by e-book platforms
ISBN
9789027290410
|
EUR
99.00
|
USD
149.00
Google Edition – Forthcoming
ISBN
9789027290410
|
EUR
36.00
|
USD
54.00
Table of Contents
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Acknowledgments
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xi–x
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Chapter 1. Foundations
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1–25
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Chapter 2. Second language acquisition
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27–61
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Chapter 3. First language attrition in adults
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63–91
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Chapter 4. Bilingualism in early childhood
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93–129
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Chapter 5. Bilingualism in middle and late childhood
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131–159
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Chapter 6. Incomplete L1 acquisition in adults
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161–206
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Chapter 7. Incomplete L1 and L2 acquisition in adults
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207–248
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Chapter 8. Implications
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249–275
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References
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277–301
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Index of authors
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303–307
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Index of terms
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309–312
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Quotes
“This important and well-written book offers a timely and well-balanced review of recent research on non-native attainment. Montrul examines in great detail how age of acquisition is related to non-native outcomes, not only in L2 acquisition, but also in L1 attrition and in incomplete L1 acquisition as a result of early L2 acquisition, and how experiential factors interact with the age factor in effecting these outcomes. This book is a mine of information and is highly recommended to students of language acquisition, language attrition and bilingualism alike.”
Theo Bongaerts, University of Nijmegen
“As one of the first generative acquisition researchers who looked into the competence of heritage speaker bilingual individuals, Montrul's body of work is rightfully the standard for formal linguistic studies on Hispanic heritage speaker bilingualism. This book is the capstone to a pioneering and novel research program, initiated close to a decade ago and continuing to the present and beyond. [...] This volume is innovative in its completeness and the breadth of issues addressed. [...] This book is compulsory reading for all students and researchers who are interested in SLA, bilingualism, and L1 attrition.”
Jason Rothman, University of Iowa, in SSLA 31, 2009
“As this book has clearly demonstrated, many questions remain regarding the language development of different groups of bilinguals, and I join Montrul in calling for more longitudinal research on development in bilingual children, particularly in differences between simultaneous and early sequential bilinguals and bilinguals raised in differing political and linguistic contexts. It is clear that there are still large gaps in our understanding of age factors in bilingualism, and Montrul has done well in pointing out where more research is needed. Overall, ''Incomplete Acquisition in Bilingualism: Re-examining the age factor'' is an extensive overview of the field and a welcome contribution to the study of language acquisition and bilingualism.”
Kara T. McAlister, Arizona State University, on Linguist List 21.1599, 2010
Subjects
Benjamins Subject classification
Linguistics
Psychology
BIC Subject
CFDM: Bilingualism & multilingualism
BISAC Subject
LAN009000: LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Linguistics
U.S. Library of Congress Control Number: 2008027332