Sanna Mustonen sanna mustonen campus jyu fi Nina Reiman

Sanna Mustonen sanna. mustonen@campus. jyu. fi Nina Reiman nina. reiman@campus. jyu. fi University of Jyväskylä The Development of Syntactical Constructions in L 2 Finnish

This presentation Department of Languages / Centre of Applied Linguistics i Cefling project ii Data iii The development of syntactical and phrase constructions – Ditransitive construction – Local case phrases

CEFLING The linguistic basis of the Common European Framework levels http: //www. jyu. fi/hum/laitokset/kielet/cefling/en Department of Languages / Centre of Applied Linguistics Research questions: – What combinations of linguistic features characterise learners’ performance at the proficiency levels defined in the Common European Framework and its Finnish adaptations? – How does second language proficiency develop?

Ceflings Ph. D STUDENTS Helena Miettinen Sanna Mustonen Nina Reiman Marja Seilonen Department of Languages / Centre of Applied Linguistics RESEARCHERS Riikka Alanen Hannele Dufva Ari Huhta Paula Kalaja Maisa Martin Katja Mäntylä Mirja Tarnanen

Rationale – School curricula – Adult education curricula – National Certificates of Proficiency (YKI) – Citizenship requirements Department of Languages / Centre of Applied Linguistics CEF very influential in Finland:

Data Department of Languages / Centre of Applied Linguistics Writing performances (490) of adults taking the National Certificate of Proficiency examination 6 -step scale L 2 Finnish – L 1 varies

Assumptions about language and learning (E. g. Ellis 2003, 2008; Tomasello 2003) Department of Languages / Centre of Applied Linguistics Usage-based view of language learning: – language learning in and through language usage sketching and outlining model constructions (form, meaning and function)

Ditransitive construction (1) Jussi leipoi Marille kakun. John baked Mary a cake. (2) Jussin täytyy leipoa Marille kakku_. (Jussi. GEN must. PRES + 3 RD PERSON SG bake Mari. ALL cake. ACC(NOM). ) John must bake Mary a cake. (3) Jussi leipoo Marille kakkua. (Jussi bake. PRES + 3 RD PERSON SG Mari. ALL cake. PART. ) John is baking Mary “some” cake. Department of Languages / Centre of Applied Linguistics (Jussi bake. IMP+3 RD PERSON SG Mari. ALL cake. ACC(GEN). )

Ditransitive constructions per 1000 words / 10 texts Department of Languages / Centre of Applied Linguistics

Verb variation Department of Languages / Centre of Applied Linguistics

The Semantics of the Local Case System (E. g. Jackendoff 1983, 1992) ACTION SPACE (kahvi-lla; kahvi-lta; kahvi-lle ' to have; to come from; to go and have a cup of coffee') AT / IN / ON FROM - TO TIME POSSESSION (syksy-llä; syksy-ltä; syksy-lle ’in/ from /to autumn') (Nina-lla; Nina-lta; Nina-lle ’ Nina has; from Nina; to Nina') Department of Languages / Centre of Applied Linguistics (kato-lla; katol-ta; kato-lle ’on / from / on to the roof’)

Constructions per 1000 words / per 10 texts 14 12 10 10 8 8 Series 2 6 Series 1 4 4 2 2 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Department of Languages / Centre of Applied Linguistics 12

Complexity of the Action-TO -construction (Comes. IMP. in. TO my place with wife to have a cup of coffee. ) 3: en voi mennä sun häihin (I can not go to your wedding) 6: Haluaisin ilmoittautua teidän järjestämään Varhainen vuorovaikutus täydennyskoulutukseen (I would like to register for a course of Early interaction you have organized. ) Department of Languages / Centre of Applied Linguistics 1: Tulee minulla vaimon kanssa kahvillee

Summary Department of Languages / Centre of Applied Linguistics This kind of quantitative analysis reveals the development of accuracy roughly – Either–or-classification (target language like/non-target language -like) In the usage-based approach, qualitative analysis is also needed in order to achieve a more comprehensive picture of language competence development Increase in complexity and variation (in form, meaning and function) is a signal of development in language competence