LIN2550

Second language acquisition and attrition

Michael Clyne and Heather Lotherington

8 points
* 3 hours per week
* First semester
* Clayton
* Prerequisites: LIN1010 and LIN1020
* Prohibitions: Should not be taken by students who have already completed GRN2130 or GRN3130, CHI2550, CHI3550, ITA2550, ITA3550, MGR3550 or SPN3550. Students specialising in Chinese, German, Italian, Modern Greek or Spanish should take, instead, CHI2550/CHI3550, GRN2430/GRN3430, ITA2550/ITA3550, MGR3550 or SPN2550/SPN3550

Objectives Students successfully completing this subject should be acquainted with theories and processes of second language acquisition and attrition; able to utilise their knowledge of linguistics to study issues in second language acquisition and attrition; and able to relate the research literature to their own or others' second language acquisition experience.

Synopsis The distinction between language learning and acquisition; the social context of these; the relation between first, second and bilingual acquisition; interlanguage and interference; grammaticalisation phases; factors in successful second language acquisition; bilingual education; attrition as the inverse of acquisition; activation and reactivation of language skills.

Assessment Written assignments (3000 words): 40%
* Class test (2 hours): 40%
* Class paper: 20%

Prescribed texts

Larsen-Freeman D and Long M An introduction to second language acquisition research Longman, 1991