Introduction. Beyond the Obvious: Do Second Language Learners Process Inflectional Morphology?

Given that this special issue is devoted to the acquisition and processing of inflectional morphology by second language (L2) learners, the question in the title may appear redundant. However, recent research on first language (L1) and L2 morphological processing has challenged basic assumptions about the status of inflectional morphology in linguistic processing that had long been taken for granted. The present issue demonstrates how experimental paradigms and theoretical positions developed in L1 and L2 research result in a new synergy and advance our understanding of the complex mechanisms implicated in morphological processing. The question as to whether L2 learners process inflectional morphology includes several smaller ones. First, does the morphological level exist in psycholinguistic terms, not just in linguistic descriptions? Second, assuming it exists, do L2 learners rely on the same mechanisms as L1 speakers when processing inflectional morphology? Third, what are the cognitive and environmental factors underlying L2 acquisition of inflectional morphology? The goal of this short introduction is to briefly review the main theoretical positions visà-vis inflectional morphology and to identify points of convergence between research on L1 and L2 morphological processing.