Structural Similarity and Its Limits in L3 Transfer
Location
Golden Eagles
Start Date
1-5-2026 12:30 PM
Department
Linguistics
Abstract
Many multilingual speakers experience cross-linguistic influence that does not align neatly with a single explanatory model. In research on third or additional language (L3) acquisition, formal similarity between languages (i.e. typological proximity) has frequently been treated as a primary determinant of transfer, particularly in cases involving closely related languages. Such accounts typically predict that transfer effects will align with structural similarity across previously and newly acquired languages, yielding relatively straightforward expectations. While structural similarity offers clear predictive appeal, it does not consistently account for all observed transfer patterns. This presentation revisits this debate by contrasting typology-driven interpretations with system-based accounts of multilingual transfer. Whereas typological approaches prioritize structural overlap between languages, alternative frameworks attribute transfer to dynamics operating within the multilingual system itself. I argue that these perspectives generate distinct empirical expectations and that certain observed patterns are not fully accounted for by typological proximity. Highlighting this tension contributes to ongoing discussions about what drives multilingual transfer and how competing explanations are interpreted.
Faculty Sponsor
Richard Hallett
Structural Similarity and Its Limits in L3 Transfer
Golden Eagles
Many multilingual speakers experience cross-linguistic influence that does not align neatly with a single explanatory model. In research on third or additional language (L3) acquisition, formal similarity between languages (i.e. typological proximity) has frequently been treated as a primary determinant of transfer, particularly in cases involving closely related languages. Such accounts typically predict that transfer effects will align with structural similarity across previously and newly acquired languages, yielding relatively straightforward expectations. While structural similarity offers clear predictive appeal, it does not consistently account for all observed transfer patterns. This presentation revisits this debate by contrasting typology-driven interpretations with system-based accounts of multilingual transfer. Whereas typological approaches prioritize structural overlap between languages, alternative frameworks attribute transfer to dynamics operating within the multilingual system itself. I argue that these perspectives generate distinct empirical expectations and that certain observed patterns are not fully accounted for by typological proximity. Highlighting this tension contributes to ongoing discussions about what drives multilingual transfer and how competing explanations are interpreted.