Theories in Second Language Acquisition: An Introduction

This is a groundbreaking study of our culture's obsession with weddings. By examining popular films, commercials, magazines, advertising, television sitcoms and even children's toys, this book shows the pervasive influence of weddings in our culture and the important role they play in maintaining the romance of heterosexuality, the myth of white supremacy and the insatiable appetite of consumer capitalism. It examines how the economics and marketing of weddings have replaced the religious and moral view of marriage. This second edition includes many new and updated features including: full coverage of the wedding industrial complex; gay marriage and its relationship to white weddings and heterosexuality and demographics shifts as to who is marrying whom and why, nationally and internationally.

Table of Contents:
1. Introduction: The Nature of Theories Bill VanPatten & Jessica Williams 2. Early Theories in SLA Bill VanPatten & Jessica Williams 3. Linguistic Theory, Universal Grammar and Second Language Acquisition Lydia White 4. One Functional Approach to SLA: The Concept-Oriented Approach Kathleen Bardovi-Harlig 5. Usage-Based Approaches to SLA Nick Ellis and Stefanie Wulff 6. Skill Acquisition Theory Robert DeKeyser 7. Input Processing in Adult SLA Bill VanPatten 8. The Declarative/Procedural Model: A Neurobiologically-Motivated Theory of First and Second Language Michael T. Ullman 9. Processability Theory Manfred Pienemann and Anke Lenzing 10. Input, Interaction and Output in Second Language Acquisition Susan Gass and Alison Mackey 11. Sociocultural Theory and Second Language Development James P. Lantolf, Steven L. Thorne, and Matthew E. Poehner 12. Complexity Theory Diane Larsen-Freeman 13. Second Language Learning Explained?: SLA Across Ten Contemporary Theories Lourdes Ortega

About the Author :
Bill VanPatten is Professor of Spanish and Second Language Acquisition at Michigan State University. Jessica Williams is Professor of Linguisics at University of Illinois at Chicago.

Review :
"An interesting look at the institution of marriage...This book probably won't be on the must-read lists of most brides and grooms to be, but it is an interesting look at the institution of marriage. Or, rather the industry of marriage as the author emphasizes in her clear-eyed view of weddings...Ingraham, Chair of sociology at Purchase College in New York, tears away the veil of fantasy and takes a hard look at bridal magazines, religion, the garment industry, the media, and just plain capitalism, and how they all figure into this tradition."--Los Angeles Times