Response

Influence of L1 over L2 and L3 acquisition. The article covers a study done whose main aim is to find out if L2(second language) has a greater impact on the L3(third language) lexicon of the learner/candidate who has attained a higher level of second language proficiency and also has had significant exposure to it. The study focused on determining the different ways in which varying/different language systems interact in the mind and affect either the linguistic development, performance or both of the person/individual concerned. The study was done by use of students who had achieved relatively similar levels of proficiency in their L3. Can Cross-Linguistic Influence(CLI) from L2 be observed in the, L3 lexicon of the candidate/learner who has attained a low level of L2 proficiency and who has also had limited exposure to that language? Let us see.
The study showed that L1(English was used as L1 in the study) was by far the main source of influence on L3 languages. The CLI found in the L3(Germany was used) of the candidates in the high 2nd language proficiency(low L2 exposure) group has features of the Cross Linguistic Influence found in the L3 of the candidates in the high 2nd language proficiency(low L2 exposure) has characteristics of the CLI found in the L3 of the candidates in the high second language proficiency/high L2 exposure and the low second language proficiency(low L2) exposure groups.
In a study of the placement of sentence negation in third language acquisition, it is argued that there is a contrast between acquisition of a second language and the acquisition of a third language. Although there is substantial evidence for L2 impact on vocabulary acquisition in L3, not every researcher believe that such manipulation generalizes to morph syntactic aspects of the grammar. The data clearly shows that syntactic structures are easily transferred from the second language than from the first language in the initial stage of L3 acquisition. The two groups behave almost contrastingly concerning the placement of negation, a contrast that can be sources to the L2 knowledge of the candidates in interaction with the typological relationship between the second and the third languages (Tremblay, 2006).
The impact of L1 on L3 of learners who have achieved a higher level of L2 proficiency is the same, regardless of the level of exposure of L2 by the learners. While the overall rates of L1 influence are the same/similar for the high L2 proficiency exposure and a low second language exposure groups, the overall rate of first language influence found in the L3 of the low L2 proficiency exposure informants is almost twice as high. However, there is a proof suggesting that a first language influence often decrease as L2 proficiency increases. Both groups of learners with limited exposure to L2 are related to each other regardless if their level of proficiency in the language. The overall rate of L2 influence in an L3 of high L2 proficiency student is higher than the rates found in the L3 of both the high L2 proficiency and low L2 proficiency. L1 is usually the main source of CLI because the participant’s high level of L1 proficiency. L1 impact persists over time, but L2 influence fades away twice as fast. If an L3 has been learned for long(like in the study), the impact of L2 on the L3 fades away. Use of L1 in the surroundings, people around and also using it to test the participants also affects the outcome. The study suggests that a second language proficiency and second language exposure does not have the same effect on all types of influence. Errors are found in L2 only in the L3 of learners of learners who have achieved a higher level of L2 proficiency suggesting that a second language(L2) proficiency mainly influence the degree to which second language is activated during third language communication. The study also hypothesized that second language exposure has a significant effect on the way third language learners can make use of their experience of second language in order to create lexical inventions. This supports the fact that unless the student/learner has attained a higher level of second language automatization, the impact second language has on a third language is negative. Having received instructions in second language or having the some knowledge of it is not enough for the student to influence the acquisition of an L3.
References:
Tremblay C. M. (2006). Cross-Linguistic Influence in Third Language Acquisition: The Role of L2 Proficiency and L2 Exposure. Janvier. Vol. 34: 109-119