The Lexicon–Syntax Interface in Second Language Acquisition: (30 Language Acquisition and Language Disorders)

Second language acquisition has to integrate the totality of the SLA process, which includes both the learning of the core syntax of a language and the learning of the lexical items that have to be incorporated into that syntax. But these two domains involve different kinds of learning. Syntax is learnt through a process of implementing a particular set of universal structures, whereas the learning of lexis is characterised by the building up of associations (or connections). Yet these two systems must come together in the creation of a whole linguistic system in the mind of an individual. This book is designed to state the implications of these two paradigms in as clear a way as possible through examples of the research carried out within each paradigm and to examine how they can be made to inter-relate in a way which would enable us to explain better the overall process of SLA.

Table of Contents:
1. Acknowledgments; 2. 1. Introduction: Second language acquisition research in search of an interface (by Towell, Richard J.); 3. 2. Locating the source of defective past tense marking in advanced L2 English speakers (by Hawkins, Roger); 4. 3. Perfect projections (by Corver, Norbert); 5. 4. L1 features in the L2 output (by Craats, Ineke van de); 6. 5. Measures of competent gradience (by Duffield, Nigel); 7. 6. Lexical storage and retrieval in bilinguals (by Dijkstra, Ton); 8. 7. Inducing abstract linguistic representations: Human and connectionist learning of noun classes (by Williams, John N.); 9. 8. Neural substrates of representation and processing of a second language (by Sabourin, Laura L.); 10. 9. Neural basis of lexicon and grammar in L2 acquisition: The convergence hypothesis (by Green, David W.); 11. 10. The interface: Concluding remarks (by Hout, Roeland van); 12. Name index; 13. Subject index

Review :
This work represents the latest developments in the generative/psycholinguistic studies of second language acquisition. It will certainly advance our understanding of this important area of study. All of the chapters are well written, discuss important questions in L2 acquisition research, and use a variety of research methodologies and populations. For these reasons, this book makes an excellent contribution to linguistics, psychology and L2 acquisition. I highly recommend it for graduate students and researchers interested in any of these fields or approaches to L2 acquisition and bilingualism. The editors should be applauded for attempting to bridge the gap between these two often competing approaches to L2 acquisition and for showing that there is much to be gained by bringing the two perspectives together. I hope this book encourages more dialogue and collaboration between researchers in linguistics and psychology. The volume is an insightful and meticulously selected and organised collection of papers on the latest developments in the generative/psycholinguistic studies of L2 grammar. Towell's introduction to the volume goes much beyond an ordinary introduction to papers in a collection: it beautifully contextualises the contributions in generative and psychological paradigms of research in general and the implications for SLA research in particular.