Reports on a small scale pilot project designed to elicit acceptability judgments regarding dative alternation in English studied as a second language. Preliminary results suggest that a thematic strategy may be one of a battery of learning strategies available to second-language learners. (40 references) (CK)

Examines the traditional characterization of the process of verb formation in Sinhala (Singhalese) and the interaction between grammar components involved in the process. Compares this with a new approach, and presents an attempt at formulating derivation rules. The basic assumption is that a more integrated approach to the grammar yields a more…

Suggests that thematic roles might best be viewed as verb-specific concepts and that this conceptual/world knowledge is computed and used immediately in online language processing. Discusses results in relation to other recent treatments of thematic roles as well as constraint-based and garden path models. (68 references) (Author/CK)

Investigated first language influence (L1) on second language (L2) argument structure. In such a situation, a partial fit between the L1 and the L2 may trigger L1 transfer. Tested such predictions by investigating whether Japanese speakers can recognize the directional reading of English manner-of-motion verbs with locational-directional…

This experimental study on English, Spanish, and Turkish as second languages investigates the interaction of universal principles and first language knowledge in interlanguage grammars by focusing on verbs that participate in the causative/inchoative alternation. (Author/VWL)

Examines a subset of collaborative dialogues that occurred in a a multistage task where Canadian Grade 7 French immersion students worked together in pairs. Each pair wrote a story, noticed differences between their text and a reformulator's revision, and reflected on their noticing. Traces development of the target language (French), with…

Investigation of four- through six-year-olds' abilities to correct over-regularized plural nouns and verbs in the past tense showed that, generally, older children performed better than the younger children, and plural nouns were corrected significantly more than past-tense verb forms. Younger children were better at correcting the nouns than the…

Investigation of the acquisition of Tamil verb inflections in three two-year-old children revealed a high percentage of usage of verb inflections indicating tense, aspect, modality, person, number, and gender. Explanations for this early, almost error-free language acquisition are explored in terms of the facilitating properties of agglutinating…

Compares the lexical proficiency of 69 grade 6 immersion students with that of 22 native French-speaking peers, based on verb use and in 5 written compositions. Measures of lexical error, variety, specificity, and sophistication show clear differences between the two groups. (33 references) (Author/VWL)

A microcomputer program providing extensive and constantly changing practice with 35 irregular French verbs in 6 tenses is described. The program's objectives are to establish lateral associations between tense forms, provide continuous opportunity for recall, and shorten correct response time. (Author/MSE)

Suggests that differences between first- and second-language learners are due to principles of universal grammar (UG) that guide first language (L1), but not second language (L2) acquisition. This view can be reconciled with the idea that L2 learners can use UG principles to some extent in evaluating target sentences. (49 references) (Author/VWL)

Presents a monoclausal, multipredicate analysis of Japanese causatives, adopting the fundamentals of Relational Grammar. Two classes of causatives, distinguished by the matrix subject's agentivity, exist. The surface case marking of the causee is constrained by its relationship to the matrix subject with respect to a set of Proto-Agent…

Most French students encounter verbal aspect in the first semester although it is one of the more sophisticated concepts. Contrasting the two aspects has long been one of the methods. This article proposes that carefully chosen questions about contrasting pairs may lead to an earlier mastery. (26 references) (Author/CK)

This article presents a survey and analysis of Examiners' Reports on French written papers, looking specifically at difficulties in using verbs appropriately. It draws on evidence from second-language acquisition research to determine the nature of the problem and hypothesizes links between the decline in written accuracy and the rise in oral…

Provides an analysis of the syntax of Straits Salish. Main clauses consist of an initial predicate followed by a second position clitic string of inflectional elements, the subject pronoun and tense. Evidence is provided against copular verb analysis as further proof of the lack of the noun/verb distinction at the lexical level. (52 references)…