CROSS-LINGUISTIC INFLUENCE IN THIRD LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

Abstract

This study investigates the role of previously acquired languages, testing three different third language (L3) acquisition models: the absolute L1 transfer, L2 status factor, and Typological Primacy Model (TPM). The absolute L1 transfer claims that the first language (L1) plays a privileged role in L3 acquisition,whereas the L2 status factor suggests that the second language (L2) plays a stronger role than the L1 in the early stages of L3 grammar development.Turning to the TPM, it maintains that the initial stage transfer depends on psycho-typological proximity between third language and prior languages. To understand the role of prior languages, the researcher tested knowledge of object pronouns in French by proficiency-matched L3 and L2 French speakers whose L1s are either Chinese (n=17) or English (n=28). The data were collected via production tasks in French. The results suggest that L3 speakers experience non-facilitative transfer from their L1.