Background to Language Learning Flashcards

What does the term 'interlanguage' refer to in second language acquisition?

Answer: The learner's developing language system that differs from both L1 and target language

Interlanguage is the learner's own developing linguistic system that has features of both the first language and the target language, and has its own unique features.

Which learning strategy involves a learner deliberately paying attention to how a word is spelled or pronounced in order to remember it?

Answer: Memory strategy

Memory strategies (also called mnemonic strategies) involve techniques for storing and retrieving new information, such as visualising spelling or using rhymes.

What is 'fossilisation' in the context of second language acquisition?

Answer: A learner's tendency to stop making progress and keep using incorrect forms permanently

Fossilisation occurs when non-target-like linguistic features become permanently embedded in a learner's interlanguage, even after instruction and correction.

Which type of learner motivation involves studying a language because it is useful for getting a job or passing an exam?

Answer: Instrumental motivation

Instrumental motivation refers to the desire to learn a language for practical, functional purposes such as career advancement or exam success.

What does 'transfer' mean in second language acquisition?

Answer: The influence of a learner's first language on the target language

Transfer refers to the influence of the learner's first language (L1) on their second language (L2) production. It can be positive (helpful) or negative (causing errors).

Which term describes a learner's instinctive awareness of how language works, developed through exposure rather than formal study?

Answer: Implicit knowledge

Implicit knowledge is unconscious, automatic language knowledge developed through exposure and use, not through formal rule learning.