Part of
Contemporary Approaches to Second Language AcquisitionEdited by María del Pilar García Mayo, María Juncal Gutiérrez Mangado and María Martínez-Adrián
[AILA Applied Linguistics Series 9] 2013
► pp. 5–28
Edited by María del Pilar García Mayo, María Juncal Gutiérrez Mangado and María Martínez-Adrián
[AILA Applied Linguistics Series 9] 2013
► pp. 5–28
Chapter 1. What is easy and what is hard to acquire in a second language
A generative perspective
Explaining why some linguistic features and constructions are easy or difficult to acquire in a second language has become a prominent current concern in generative second language acquisition (SLA) research. Based on a comparison of findings on the L2 acquisition of functional morphology, syntax, the syntax-semantics and syntax-discourse interfaces, the Bottleneck Hypothesis argues that functional morphemes and their features are the bottleneck of L2 acquisition; acquisition of syntax and semantics (and maybe even the syntax-discourse interface) flows smoothly (Slabakova 2006, 2008). The chapter presents recent experimental studies supporting this view. A pedagogical implication of this model is discussed, namely, that an enhanced focus on practicing grammar in language classrooms is beneficial to learners.
Cited by (41)
Cited by 41 other publications
Apresjan, Valentina
2024. Errors in foreign language acquisition as a multifaceted phenomenon: the case of Russian aspect. Russian Linguistics 48:1 
Archibald, John
2024. Phonology in Multilingual Grammars,
Leal, Tania & Elena Shimanskaya
Miyamoto, Yoichi, Koichi Otaki, Chie Nakamura & Noriaki Yusa
2024. Chapter 20. On the nature of operators in the grammar of L1 Chinese learners of L2 Japanese. In Multilingual Acquisition and Learning [Studies in Bilingualism, 67], ► pp. 529 ff.
Son, Vi Thanh & Gisela Håkansson
2024. What is in the learner’s mind when trying to verbalize grammatical rules?. Pedagogical Linguistics 5:1 ► pp. 56 ff.
Judy, Tiffany, Eloi Puig-Mayenco, Adel Chaouch-Orozco, Fernando Martín-Villena & David Miller
2023. Testing the Competing Systems Hypothesis: Further evidence from aspect in tutored L1-English–L2-Spanish. Second Language Research 39:4 ► pp. 1165 ff.
Martínez-Adrián, María & María Nieva-Marroquín
2023. Exploring the pseudo-longitudinal development of specific morphosyntactic features and syntactic complexity in CLIL young learners. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching 61:3 ► pp. 1197 ff.
Rodrigues Fontoura, Bruna
2023. Working memory and proficiency: . Letrônica 16:1 ► pp. e44153 ff.
Rodrigues Fontoura, Bruna, Cândido Samuel Fonseca de Oliveira & Ricardo Augusto De Souza
2023. Processamento linguístico implícito de morfemas flexionais. Letrônica 16:1 ► pp. e44409 ff.
Wu, Shiyu, Dilin Liu & Zan Li
2023. Testing the Bottleneck Hypothesis: Chinese EFL learners’ knowledge of morphology and syntax across proficiency levels. Second Language Research 39:4 ► pp. 1191 ff.
肖, 宇
2023. Experimental Researches on Online Processing of L2 Morphosyntax—A Case Study of English Subject-Verb Agreement. Modern Linguistics 11:12 ► pp. 5963 ff.
Cerveró-Carrascosa, Abraham
2022. Exploring The Impact of Integrating a MOOC-VE Blend Within English Language Pre-Service Teacher Education. International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching 12:3 ► pp. 1 ff.
SHKURENKO, Anastasiia & Filiz CELE
2022. L2 acquisition of Russian aspect by L1 Turkish speakers. RumeliDE Dil ve Edebiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi :31 ► pp. 1561 ff.
Granget, Cyrille
2021. Ce que peut faire l’enseignant de langue étrangère. In Premières étapes dans l'acquisition des langues étrangères, ► pp. 139 ff.
Lecouvet, Mathieu, Liesbeth Degand & Ferran Suner
2021. Unclogging the Bottleneck: The role of case morphology in L2 acquisition at the syntax-discourse interface. Language Acquisition 28:3 ► pp. 241 ff.
Jensen, Isabel Nadine, Roumyana Slabakova, Marit Westergaard & Björn Lundquist
2020. The Bottleneck Hypothesis in L2 acquisition: L1 Norwegian learners’ knowledge of syntax and morphology in L2 English. Second Language Research 36:1 ► pp. 3 ff.
Lee, EunHee
2020. The universal topic prominence stage hypothesis and L1 transfer. Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism 10:2 ► pp. 184 ff.
Scheidnes, Maureen
2020. Sentence repetition and non-word repetition in early total French immersion. Applied Psycholinguistics 41:1 ► pp. 107 ff.
AZAZ, MAHMOUD
2019. L1 Transfer Effects in the Production of Generic Plurals in L2 Arabic. The Modern Language Journal 103:1 ► pp. 275 ff.
Leal, Tania & Jeffrey Renaud
Mayer, Elisabeth & Liliana Sánchez
2019. Feature variability in the bilingual-monolingual continuum: clitics in bilingual Quechua-Spanish, bilingual Shipibo-Spanish and in monolingual Limeño Spanish contact varieties. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 22:7 ► pp. 883 ff.
Sagarra, Nuria, Liliana Sánchez & Aurora Bel
Cho, Jacee, Michael Iverson, Tiffany Judy, Tania Leal & Elena Shimanskaya
2018. Introduction. In Meaning and Structure in Second Language Acquisition [Studies in Bilingualism, 55], ► pp. ix ff.
Gutiérrez-Mangado, M. Juncal & María Martínez-Adrián
2018. CLIL at the linguistic interfaces. Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education 6:1 ► pp. 85 ff.
Judy, Tiffany
2018. Chapter 5. The Bottleneck Hypothesis as applied to the Spanish DP. In Meaning and Structure in Second Language Acquisition [Studies in Bilingualism, 55], ► pp. 123 ff.
Madeira, Ana
2018. Inflected infinitives in L2 Portuguese. In Complement Clauses in Portuguese [Issues in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics, 17], ► pp. 321 ff.
Marsden, Heather
2018. Chapter 11. Generative second language acquisition and language teaching. In Meaning and Structure in Second Language Acquisition [Studies in Bilingualism, 55], ► pp. 283 ff.
Rastelli, Stefano & Kook-Hee Gil
2018. No fear of George Kingsley Zipf. Instructed Second Language Acquisition 2:2 ► pp. 242 ff.
Roberts, Leah, Jorge González Alonso, Christos Pliatsikas & Jason Rothman
2018. Evidence from neurolinguistic methodologies: Can it actually inform linguistic/language acquisition theories and translate to evidence-based applications?. Second Language Research 34:1 ► pp. 125 ff.
Shimanskaya, Elena
2018. Chapter 3. Another look at L2 acquisition of French clitics and strong pronouns. In Meaning and Structure in Second Language Acquisition [Studies in Bilingualism, 55], ► pp. 67 ff.
White, Lydia
2018. Chapter 10. What is easy and what is hard. In Meaning and Structure in Second Language Acquisition [Studies in Bilingualism, 55], ► pp. 263 ff.
White, Lydia
2023. Should linguistics be applied and, if so, how?. Language Teaching 56:3 ► pp. 349 ff.
Kirkham, Deak
2017. Culture, Communication, and Identity in Anglophone Study Abroad English Language Provision. In Student Culture and Identity in Higher Education [Advances in Higher Education and Professional Development, ], ► pp. 293 ff.
Kirkham, Deak
2019. Culture, Communication, and Identity in Anglophone Study Abroad English Language Provision. In Computer-Assisted Language Learning, ► pp. 411 ff.
Yamada, Kazumi & Yoichi Miyamoto
2017. On the interpretation of null arguments in L2 Japanese by European <i>non-pro-drop</i> and <i>pro-drop</i> language speakers. Journal of the European Second Language Association 1:1 ► pp. 73 ff.
Pepouna, Soulemanou
2016. Ohne dieses und jenes bedürfte der Genitiv keines –s: eine psycholinguistische Perspektive. Zeitschrift für Angewandte Linguistik 2016:64 ► pp. 5 ff.
Cho, Jacee & Roumyana Slabakova
2015. A Feature-based Contrastive Approach to the L2 Acquisition of Specificity. Applied Linguistics ► pp. amv029 ff.
Phillips, Colin & Lara Ehrenhofer
2015.
Learning obscure and obvious properties of language
. Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism 5:4 ► pp. 545 ff.
Rosmawati, .
2015. Investigating second language learners’ usage of Mandarin numeral classifiers: A case-based study. Researching and Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language 1:1 ► pp. 29 ff.
Westergaard, Marit
2015.
Complexity in child and adult language acquisition
. Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism 5:4 ► pp. 541 ff.
[no author supplied]
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 25 august 2024. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.