Differences between the coherence of Mandarin and Korean L2 English learner production and English native speakers: An empirical study

Abstract

This dissertation presents a cross-sectional study of coherence of reference to person by Chinese and Korean adults learning English as a foreign language. The study focuses on universal and language-specific constraints on reference management in three native language groups (English, Mandarin and Korean) and the acquisition of reference management in L2 English. Two pilot studies featuring written corpus data (from the Cambridge Learner Corpus, Nicholls, 2003) and oral production data led to the design of the present study, where a controlled picture sequence was used to elicit both native and L2 oral production data totalling 178 narratives. The cross-section of proficiencies surveyed ranges from levels A1 (Basic User) to C2 (Proficient User) of the Common European Framework

of Reference (Council of Europe, 2001). The findings suggest that while learners at lower L2 proficiency levels were generally able to produce a complete discourse, coherence of reference management is not fully acquired until Intermediate User levels. ‘Basic-variety’-like reference (characterised by the use of zero anaphora outside of the L2 distribution, and a lack of third-person pronouns) was attested in the lower proficiency L2 data similar to the data reported in Klein & Perdue (1992, 1997). At intermediate levels, variation in the acquisition of certain form/function relationships was attested between the L2 groups, as predicted by a set of Complex Adaptive System Principles (CASP) (Filipović & Hawkins, 2013) that consider the impact of L1 transfer, input frequency, and complexity of L2 form/function relationships on L2 acquisition. In particular, the configuration of the L1 grammar played an important role in the relative speed of L2 acquisition, in favour of the Mandarin L2 English group. However, even at higher L2 proficiencies (C1/C2) certain other idiosyncrasies (particularly over-explicitness in L2 production) were potential barriers to the 'ultimate attainment' of L2 reference before or at the highest CEFR level (C2). The findings have implications for if, when, and how learners of an L2 can produce coherent discourse in the L2, and why L2 learners from particular source language backgrounds might struggle to acquire certain features of coherence in the L2 compared to other features.