Testing L1 Transfer of Morphology in the Acquisition of English Causative Alternations

This study explores whether argument structure is acquired on a verb-by-verb basis, or whether it can be set across verb classes. The study focuses on the acquisition of verbs that participate in the causative/inchoative alternation in English by Korean-speaking learners of English. Since Korean language morphologically marks the causative/inchoative alternation on the verb while English does not, the question is whether and to what extent L1 morphology plays a role in the acquisition of the semantic and syntactic constraints on the alternation in English. Results from a picture-based grammaticality judgment task showed some evidence for L1 transfer of morphology in lower-proficiency learners. In general, intermediate and advanced learners did not easily accept inchoatives, regardless of directionality of derivation in L1. The study suggests complex interaction between language universals and the L1 influence of derivational morphology in the acquisition of L2 lexicon and its mapping onto the syntax.