Fossilization of English as an L2 non-native constructions at the syntax-discourse interface in Romance L1 speakers

Abstract

This study examines and compares the English as a foreign language production of two groups of speakers with respect to certain manifestations of the expression of the subject in discourse. One of the groups is of 12 advanced EFL university English majors living in Spain, the other of 9 adult Romance speakers having lived in an English speaking country for several decades. The hypothesis is tested that subject inversion with unaccusative verbs and pronominal subject omission when identified in discourse constitute fossilization phenomena as verified by their perseverance in the second group of learners despite their long and rich exposure to the L2 and their frequent interaction in it.

Keywords

• English as a second/foreign language
• (non) null subject language
• fossilization
• syntax/discourse interface
• adult language learning