The role of the first language in foreign language learning
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
The role of the first language in foreign language learning
（Multilingual matters / series editor, Derrick Sharp, 34）
Multilingual Matters, c1987
- : pbk
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Note
Bibliography: p. [163]-178
Includes index
Description and Table of Contents
Description
Of the many variables affecting foreign language learning, the learner's first language is of especially great importance. The recent emphasis on language learning processes rather than linguistic products has given a new slant to what was earlier known as transfer studies. This book is concerned with the foreign language learner's underlying processes. It is based on data from Finland showing the differences between Finnish-speaking and Swedish-speaking Finns learning English. These two groups are close to each other culturally and educationally, though they are linguistically quite different. The results of the study reveal clear differences between learning a foreign language that is related and a language that is unrelated to the learner's first language. The basic importance of perceived similarities between the first language and the target language is stressed. The book analyses the different ways in which the learner's knowledge of the first language and other languages affect the processes of comprehension and production. A concluding section of the book sums up the relevance of its findings for foreign language teaching.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Finnish, Swedish and English in Finland
3 Knowledge and Control: Foreign Language Learning and Second Language Acquisition
4 The Importance of Similarity
5 Cross-Linguistic Influence
6 Error Analysis
7 The Differences Between Finns and Swedish-Speaking Finns Learning English
8 Vocabulary: Influence from Non-Native Languages
9 Cross-Linguistic Similarity and L2-Processing
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