Universal Grammar and the Subset Principle in second language acquisition: The acquisition of the Governing Category Parameter by adult Korean learners of English

This study investigates the effects of Universal Grammar and the Subset Principle in second language acquisition. The phenomenon investigated was the acquisition of English reflexives by adult Korean learners of English. Wexler and Manzini (1987) propose the Governing Category Parameter for which five different values have been posited to account for the differences in languages with respect to the binding pattern of reflexives. According to this proposal, English represents the narrowest (unmarked) value and Korean represents the widest (marked) one. Thus, by inspecting how Korean learners acquire English reflexives, we can address the issue of the availability of the Subset Principle in second language acquisition. This investigation also answers the question of what type of value of the parameter second language learners choose: the transfer of the L1 value, the acquisition of the correct L2 value, or the choice of an intermediate value which is distinct from both L1 and L2.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Linguistics

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Cho, Seikyung

Contributors dc:contributor

• Maclay, Howard S.

• Education, Language and Literature
• Language, Linguistics

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1992 Cho, Seikyung

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9236425
(UMI)AAI9236425

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/19724