Nature and Nurture in Second Language Acquisition: Articles Acquisition by Second Language Learners and the Role of L1 of the Learners and Explicit Instruction Factors in Its Development

This article discusses the acquisition of English grammatical articles by second language learners and the role of L1 of the learners and explicit instruction factors in its development. It also covers the role of nature and nurture in second language acquisition.

Nature and the nature in second language

CONTENTS
QUESTION – 2..........................................................................................................................1
Articles acquisition by second language learners and the role of L1 of the learners and
explicit instruction factors in its development........................................................................1
REFERENCES...........................................................................................................................5

QUESTION – 2
Articles acquisition by second language learners and the role of L1 of the learners and
explicit instruction factors in its development
There are two major properties of the nominal area that is specificity as well as
certainty and both of them can be clearly noticeable in the morphology of languages with an
article system. In each and every nominal context differentiation between definite and
indefinite can easily be done irrespective the certainty is noticeable formally or informally
while specificity is most of time deliberated in regards with indefinite noun phrases. Both
these important properties are elaborated as discourse related characteristics by IKW.
Furthermore, both of these concepts have been regarded as an important area of discussion
within the subject of pragmatics as well semantics (Herschensohn, 2007). Talking in relation
with the English articles system, it is being regarded as very complex and different elements
of the language bear on the distribution of articles. There were many authors such as Hawkins
(1979) which have conducted representative evaluation of articles in English. Moreover. Both
the first language and second language acquisition research was conventionally initiated by
determining the backgrounds for the presence of the articles and afterwards investigating in
regards with the production of articles of the learner in such surroundings.
Since the beginning of the year 1970, the acquisition of English grammatical articles
has been a great area of interest. In regards with the natural or inborn speakers, the utilization
of English articles is being learnt automatically and that too at the very beginning.
Nevertheless, in case of the second language learners, particularly those who does not have
corresponding article system in their first language, are more likely to have problems in
learning English articles. As per Leech and Svartvik (1994), there were only two articles in
the English language i.e. “the” which is being regarded as the definite article and “a” or “an”
which is being regarded as an indefinite articles. Many a times if happens that noun does not
need any kind of article i.e. the zero article. In addition to this, definite, indefinite as well as
zero articles were being utilized by people for varied commitments. However, one of the key
utilization of the definite article “the” was to exhibit that the noun mentioned to a specific
instance of something. Other than this, they also pierced out that the main utilization of
indefinite article “a” or “an” was to exhibit that the noun mentioned to a specific instance of
something general or something which have not be determined by the talker. As per
Yotsukura (1970) and Palmer (1939), there are two different kinds of zero articles and also
originated that it is quite essential to detach these two kinds of noun phrase taking place
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without visible articles. He explained that as the zero forms. This is also steady with the faith
of Palmer (1939), who also detached zero and null. Nonetheless, a unified theory in relation
with the English article has not been present till date (White, 2003).
Moving further, an equivalent studies in regards with the acquisition of articles by the
second language learners has been appeared in the recent past. Pedagogically oriented as well
as contrastive evaluation of the articles system have a long dated history. In addition to this, it
also involves description of the utilization of the articles by learners sharing give first
language. Studies in relation with the acquisition of articles by second language learner are
very few. However, there is a one study being done by Hakuta (1975), which encompasses
longitudinal study of a five year old Japanese talker acquiring English comprising
information on the evolution of “a” and “the”, though in his studies he has not analysed the
zero article. With this study some uncertain simplification can be made in relation with the
development of articles in the language of second language learners. Additionally, in the
early stages of articles acquisition in the second language learners zero dominates in each and
every environment for the articles at least for those apprentices whose first language does not
involve articles. Moreover, the occurrence of “a” in its suitable surrounding was quite later
and was also very slow. The precise utilization of “a” was postponed in comparison to “the”.
Underpinning the discussion in regards with the role of L1 of the learners in the
development of article acquisition it can be said that regardless of the massive researches
being done in relation with the second language acquisition, few literatures have disclosed
limited amount of researches by English as a second language learners. Prior to the
examination of English article acquisition by the second language learners, it is necessary to
evaluate the key studies that is related with the acquisition of English article by L1 or first
language of the learners. There were different exceptional research work were being
conducted by different authors such as Zehler and Brewer (1982) and Warden (1976), who
have scrutinised the arrangement as well as philosophies in the article system being utilized
by the L1 learners. Furthermore, through their examination it was originated that there has
been primary achievement sequence of the utilization of zero article, “a” utilization only,
fundamentally right “a” along with the arrangements of usage plus above protracted the
usage. On the basis of the supposition that the structure of the English article was an
arrangement of quantification as well as purpose instead of a choice amid unnamed and
named, it was suggested by the author that it is a pedagogical arrangement. Furthermore, one
of the most detailed evaluation of the English article acquisition was realistic reflection that
the system of article was being grasped at a very beginning stage by first language learners
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(Mitchell, Myles and Marsden, 2019). Other authors have also originated that there were
many researches whose conclusions were being challenged by other researchers and have
also interrogated in regards with the earliness of dissimilarities being acquired between the
definite as well as non-definite articles. Bickerton (1984), has designated in his language bio-
program theory that there was a specific as well as non-specific differentiation being
observed through Children speaking in English language. Further, when the early language of
the child was being investigated by hum, it was attributed that high degree of articles were
being reflected in specific reference NP, on the other hand the zero article was present on a
regular basis in non-specific environment and was quite elongated as compared to other place
or environment. Consequently, it has been appealed innateness of the specific as well as non-
specific differentiation. In simple words, each and every individual possess some or the other
inborn capabilities for making differentiation of specific as well as non-specific reference NP.
Specific as well as non-specific differentiation will not be possible to grasp through language
information and it is always inborn.
Moving towards the role of the explicit instruction in the development of article
acquisition it can be supposed that it is one of the extensive investigated and studied subject
within the English language literature. As second language acquisition is always compared
with the first language which takes place devoid of any instruction, there is some inquiry
whether explicit instruction is needed for acquirement (Hawkins, 2019). In addition to this,
there has been treasure of periodicals in relation with this topic and different comprehensive
synopses plus Meta evaluation offering outline of the studies in this field. All these
periodicals offers useful understandings in relation with the things being known in regards
with the manner explicit instruction influence the second language acquisition along with the
kind of instruction which has been proved useful the most. Furthermore, it has been accepted
within the pedagogic literature that explicit instruction provides long term as well as short
term advantages for the second language learners, however there is still few inquiry in
relation with the kind of acquaintance originated through explicit instruction. Nevertheless,
the major role of explicit instruction is at present argued within multiplicative second
language acquisition literature using several denoting to the powerful disagreement
obtainable by Schwartz (1993) that shows immense distrust on whether explicit information
might result to enhancement in the fundamental language capability. There were several
procreative strategies and models to second language acquisition which have conventionally
discharged explicit instruction as playing no important role in article acquisition. This is due
to the fact that the procedures of learning as well as acquiring have been considered as
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different. According to Krashen (1982), the main work of language instruction is only limited
as a spring of second language input which can help in acquisition along with the method of
checking the results. Additionally, he also suggested that best involvement needs to be
understandable and must be little above the current stage of acquisition of the learners. Thus,
authors have elucidated that explicit instruction is not considered as a procedure of
grammatically teaching second language development for longer period of time, however it
should be seen as a language input for acquiring in the classroom (Hawkins, 2001). To
conclude it can be said that traditionally explicit instruction has been viewed as a different
process but it might offer different advantages to second language proficiency. Besides, there
were many recent studies which have suggested that explicit instruction might result into
alteration in the ability as quantified through neuroimaging.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
article system use: An examination of a, the, and null acquisi-
Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 7, 173-188.
Bickerton, D. (1984). The language bioprogram hypothesis.
Bickerton, D., 1984. The language bio-program hypothesis. Behavioural and Brain Sciences,
7, pp.173-188.
ehler, A. M., & Brewer, W. F. (1982). Sequence and principles in
Hakuta, K., 1975. Learning to speak in a second language: What exactly does the child
learn? Georgetown: Georgetown University Press.
Hawkins, R., 2001. Second language syntax: a generative introduction. Malden, MA:
Blackwell.
Hawkins, R., 2019. How second languages are learned: An introduction. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Herschensohn, J., 2007. Language development and age. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
Krashen, S., 1982. Principles and practice in second language acquisition. London:
Pergamon.
Leech, G. and Svartvik, J., 1994. A communicative grammar of English. London, England:
Longman.
Mitchell, R., Myles, F. and Marsden, E., 2019. Second Language Learning Theories. 4thed.
Abingdon: Routledge.
Palmer, H. E. (1939). A grammar of spoken English on a strictly
Palmer, H.E., 1939. A grammar of spoken English on a strictly phonetic basis. 2nded.
Cambridge, UK: W. Heffer.
phonetic basis (2nd ed.). Cambridge, UK: W. Heffer
Schwartz, B., 1993. On explicit and negative data effecting and affecting competence and
linguistic behaviour. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 15, pp.147–163.
tion. Child Development, 53, 1268-1274
Warden, D.A., 1976. The influence of context on children’s use of identifying expression and
references. British Journal of Psychology, 67, pp.101-112.
White, L., 2003. Second language acquisition and Universal Grammar. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Yotsukura, S., 1970. The articles in English: A structural analysis of usage. The Hague, the
Netherlands: Mouton.
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Zehler, A.M. and Brewer, W.F., 1982. Sequence and principles in article system use: An
examination of a, the, and null acquisition. Child Development, 53, pp.1268-1274.
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