Constraints on Feature Selection in Second Language Acquisition: Processing Evidence from the French Verbal Domain

It is generally agreed upon that, in first language (L1) acquisition, the child, provided with ample primary linguistic data, relies on a Universal Grammar (UG) from which it selects the functional categories and features necessary to parse the input. Although the learning task for adult second language (L2) learners is not necessarily different from that of the L1 child, important differences, such as previous linguistic knowledge and developed cognitive skills, lead to a less straightforward acquisitional process. For instance, despite their ability to acquire subtle interpretative differences (e.g., Dekydtspotter & Hathorn, 2005), L2 learners make serious morphological errors, even though morphological information is present in the input. A great deal of research has investigated this morphological problem: Some researchers (e.g., Franceschina, 2002; Franceschina & Hawkins, 2003; Hawkins & Casillas, 2008; Hawkins & Chan, 1997; Hawkins & Liska, 2003; Liszka, 2004; Tsimpli & Dimitrakopoulou, 2007) argue that features not instantiated in the L1 are unavailable in L2 acquisition, whereas other researchers (e.g., Gavruseva & Lardiere, 1996; Hazdenar & Schwartz, 1997; Lardiere, 1998a, 1998b, 2005, 2007, 2009; McCarthy, 2007, 2008; Prévost & White, 2000) argue that all features are accessible in the L2 but that other factors, such as communication pressures, lead to the observed morphological variability.