The epistemological status of second language acquisition
The epistemological status of second language acquisition
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第二语言习得的认识论地位
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发表时间：
1986
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通讯作者：
B. D. Schwartz
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作者：
B. D. Schwartz
在本文中，我认为有必要认识到语言的认识论基础（从而语言理论）的研究和理论的第二语言习得。特别是，我回顾了语言学理论的生成方法的论点（如乔姆斯基，1965年，1975年，1981年），以及为什么语言作为一个知识系统必须区别于其他种类的知识（福多，1983年），目的是澄清许多误解，似乎已经出现在过去20年的生成语法的工作。这样做之后，我认为，第二语言习得的零假设是，就其语言知识的心理表征而言，其认识论地位应被假定为与L1相同，直到证明不是这样。然后，我展示了如何二语习得理论（如Krashen，1981年）可以阐明归入（部分）L2下的语言理论与其坚实的认识论基础，以及如何，特别是，可以实证检验Krashen的理论以及任何其他理论的二语习得假设L1和L2是认识论等同。此外，我还讨论了研究人员在制定第二语言教学法之前，需要考虑语言知识的特殊认识论地位。总之，这篇论文回到了关于语言心理状态的哲学辩论中，以便我们能够在第二语言研究中向前迈进一步。
In this paper I argue for the necessity of recognizing the epistemological basis of language (and hence of linguistic theory) for research in and theories of second language acquisition. In particular, I review the arguments for a generative approach to linguistic theory (e.g. Chomsky, 1965, 1975, 1981) and for why language as a system of knowledge must be distinct from other sorts of know ledge (Fodor, 1983), with the purpose of clarifying many misconceptions that seem to have arisen with respect to the work in generative grammar over the last 20 years. After doing this I argue that the null hypothesis for second language acquisition is, as concerns its mental representation of linguistic knowledge, that its epistemological status should be assumed to be the same as that of L 1 until proven otherwise. I then demonstrate how SLA theory (e.g. Krashen, 1981) can be elucidated by subsuming (parts of) L2 under linguistic theory with its firm epistemological basis, and how, in particular, one could empirically test Krashen's theory as well as any other theory of SLA that assumes L 1 and L2 to be epistemologically equivalent. In addition I discuss the need for researchers to consider the special epistemological status of linguistic knowledge before prescribing L2 pedagogy. In sum this is a paper that takes a step back into the philosophical debate concerning the mental status of language in general in order for us to be able to take a step forward in second language research in particular.