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Dominant language transfer in the comprehension of L 2 learners and heritage speakers
Author(s) -
Lee Teresa
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
international journal of applied linguistics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.712
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1473-4192
pISSN - 0802-6106
DOI - 10.1111/ijal.12089
Subject(s) - heritage language , linguistics , comprehension , psychology , listening comprehension , first language , second language acquisition , language transfer , active listening , language education , communication , comprehension approach , mathematics education , pedagogy , philosophy
This study examines the role of the dominant language ( E nglish) in the comprehension of second language ( L 2) learners and heritage speakers of K orean. Dominant language influence is observed in L 2 and heritage language acquisition ( M ontrul 2008; O dlin 1989). Based on the previous findings that transfer effects tend to be more prominent at low proficiency levels ( S chwartz and S prouse 1996), the present study examines beginning‐level L 2 ( n = 26) and heritage learners ( n = 38) of K orean whose dominant language was E nglish. The results of a listening task involving K orean relative clauses showed that both groups exhibited transfer effects, but stronger in the L 2 group. In addition, the results on error patterns showed that those with low accuracy were more prone to dominant language transfer than those with higher accuracy.