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Second Language Research15,3 (1999);pp.283–317

The parameter of aspect in second

language acquisition

Roumyana SlabakovaUniversity of Iowa

The goal of this article is to present a detailed study of the second language

acquisition (SLA) of English aspect by native speakers of Slavic languages.

A parameterized distinction between English and Slavic aspect accounts for

the subtle differences between English and Slavic telic and atelic sentences.

Based on a syntax-theoretical treatment of aspect,the article investigates

the process of SLA of aspect in Slavic speakers at three levels of proficiency

in English:low intermediate,high intermediate and

language (L2) learners are found to be capable of resetting the aspectual

parameter value to the English setting,thus successfully acquiring a property

of language almost never taught in language article also

studies the acquisition of a cluster of constructions,which syntactic research

relates to the English value of the aspectual parameter,and which have been

found to appear together in the speech of English children (Snyder and

Stromswold,1997):double objects,verb–particles and s

indicate that each of these constructions forms part of this aspect-related

cluster and that knowledge of aspect and knowledge of the cluster co-occur.

The results of the experimental study bring new evidence to bear on the

theoretical choice between direct access to the L2 value (Epstein et al.,

1996;Flynn,1996) or starting out the process of acquisition with the L1

value of a parameter (Schwartz & Sprouse,1994;1996),supporting the latter

view.

IIntroduction

While principles of Universal Grammar (UG) hold for every

human language,parameters are properties of the grammar that

have different settings,or values,for different

acquired by the learner,a particular parameter setting has

consequences for a number of superficially unrelated constructions

(Chomsky,1981a;1981b;1986a;1986b).Parameter research has

proved to be the most fruitful ground for addressing the question

of how exactly the learning device utilized by children is still

available to L2 main approaches have been

discussed in the literature concerning adult L2 learners’ access to

UG parameters.

Address for correspondence:Roumyana Slabakova,Department of Linguistics,Uni-

versity of Iowa,557,English Philosophy Building,Iowa City,IA 52242,USA;e-mail:

Roumyana-Slabakova@

© Arnold 19990267-6583(99)SR151OA

284The parameter of aspect

The first approach has been proposed and defended in Bley-

Vroman (1989),Clahsen and Muysken (1986;1996) and Schachter

(1990;1996).It can be dubbed the Partial Access to UG Hypothesis.

According to this view,adult L2 learners have lost access to UG

parameters,and UG principles are available only through their

native order to support this approach,then,research

needs to show that UG parameters proposed in the syntax literature

do not guide the acquisition sequences of second language learners

or that they demonstrate a dissociation between a parameter

setting and the constructions dependent on it (Clahsen and Hong,

1995).

The second and the third approaches jointly accept that UG

parameters are accessible to second language is

why they can be subsumed under the label Full Access to UG

difference lies in their conception of transfer from

the first language (L1).Research reported in Epstein et al.(1996),

for example,argues for a Direct Access to UG setting of

parameters.

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In other words,the native language settings of any

parameter do not influence learners in their analysis of the L2

order to support this claim,research needs to show that

learners who are beginning a second language home in on the L2

value of a parameter directly,with no trace of L1 transfer.

The third approach is best exemplified in the early work of White

(1989) and in the Full Transfer/Full Access Hypothesis (Schwartz

and Sprouse,1994;1996).The latter argues that the full L1 grammar

is the initial state of the learners’ L2 grammar,but at the same time

all UG parameter values are fully available to uently,

in order to support this approach with evidence,research has to

demonstrate two things:initial L1 transfer and subsequent

successful resetting of parameter settings.

Several parameters have been investigated with a view of

establishing beyond any doubt which of the three approaches

outlined above can best explain L2 acquisition them

are the binding parameter (Thomas,1991),word order (du Plessis

et al.,1987),the null subject parameter (White,1985;1986;Hilles,

1986;Phinney,1987;Liceras,1989;Hilles,1991;Lakshmanan,1991;

Clahsen and Hong,1995),the verb raising parameter (White,1991a;

1992b;1992).Still,it cannot be claimed that the fundamental

question of parameter (re)setting has been satisfactorily settled.

Therefore,it is appropriate to turn to another parameter that

combines universal semantic cognitive structures with different

Platzack (1996) also argues for a common Initial Hypothesis of Syntax for all L1 and L2

learners,irrespective of the native language,on the basis of markedness considerations within

the Minimalist Program.

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