L1 grammatical attrition through the acquisition of competing L2 discourse features.

A question in language acquisition research is whether attrition can affect L1 grammatical representation, and if so, under what conditions. This paper tests the Attrition via Acquisition (AvA) model, which takes a Feature Reassembly approach to predict how, in case on high degrees of similarity between the L1 and L2, the acquisition of L2 discourse-driven morpho-syntactic properties may affect L1 feature representations after a prolonged change in the speaker's primary linguistic input during adulthood. As a test case, we use the different features ( versus ) associated with Clitic Left Dislocation (CLLD) in Romanian and Italian, examining the grammars of Romanian first-generation immigrants with either L2 Italian or L2 English (a language without CLLD).

Feature reassembly and L1 preemption: Acquiring CLLD in L2 Italian and L2 Romanian.

This study investigates feature acquisition and feature reassembly associated with Clitic Left Dislocation (CLLD). The article compares the acquisition of CLLD in second language (L2) Italian to L2 Romanian to examine effects of first language (L1) transfer, construction frequency and the type of interface involved (external vs. internal interface) within the same syntactic construction.