Complexity in second language phonology acquisition

Abstract

This paper aims at situating the representation and investigation of second language phonology acquisition in light of complexity theory. The first section presents a brief historical panorama of complexity and chaos theory on second language acquisition, followed by the possible phonological representations and analyses aligned with such perspective. Finally, the issue of second language phonology acquisition is revisited.

Keywords

• complexity
• phonology
• second language acquisition
• dynamic systems theory