Garcia, G. D. (2020). Language transfer and positional bias in English stress. Second Language Research, 36(4):445–474.

Abstract

This paper shows that L1 transfer may not be effectively maintained in the interlanguage due to confounding factors in the L2. When two factors, $$\mathcal{A}$$ and $$\mathcal{B}$$, are correlated in the L2, second language learners may only acquire $$\mathcal{B}$$, even if $$\mathcal{A}$$ is present in the L1. Transfer may not be effective because $$\mathcal{B}$$, being more robust in the input, conceals $$\mathcal{A}$$. Native speakers, on the other hand, generalize $$\mathcal{A}$$ in spite of $$\mathcal{B}$$. The variables in question are weight-sensitivity ($$\mathcal{A}$$) and positional bias ($$\mathcal{B}$$) in English, both of which can predict the location of stress in the language. I show that two seemingly target-like groups of second language learners of English (speakers of Mandarin and speakers Portuguese) fail to accurately generalize weight-sensitivity in the language, and instead display response patterns which are predictable given the existing positional bias in English stress.

Keywords: transfer, stress, weight, positional bias, English, Mandarin, Portuguese, Bayes

### How to cite

TeX
@article{garcia_2020_slr,
Author = {Garcia, Guilherme Duarte},
Journal = {Second Language Research},
Title = {Language transfer and positional bias in {E}nglish stress},
Year = {2020},
Volume = {36},
Number = {4},
Pages = {445--474},
Doi = {10.1177/0267658319882457}}