Silvina Montrul
Second language acquisition and first language loss in adult early bilinguals: exploring some differences and similarities
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
study compares linguistic knowledge adult second language l2 learners learned l2 puberty potentially eroded first language l1 grammars adult early bilinguals exposed target language since birth learned language simultaneously early childhood age 5 make two main claims 1 l1 grammar bilinguals given stabilized state probably endstate resembles incomplete either developing stabilized grammars typical intermediate advanced stages l2 acquisition 2 despite similar patterns performance language proficiency factored early bilinguals better l2 learners probably due exposure primary linguistic input early childhood offer empirical evidence experimental study testing knowledge syntax semantics unaccusativity spanish conducted englishspeaking l2 learners englishdominant spanish heritage speakers living usa consider recent treatments unaccusativity language attrition within generative framework sorace 1999 2000a 2000b offer unifying account formal parallels observed two populations discuss input use age may explain differences similarities linguistic attainment two groups