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Article published In:
International Journal of Learner Corpus Research
Vol. 5:1 (2019) ► pp.63–103

Intensifying constructions in French-speaking L2 learners of English and Dutch

Cross-linguistic influence and exposure effects

| Université catholique de Louvain
| F.R.S.-FNRS | Université catholique de Louvain
| University of Florida

We investigate the cross-linguistic influence and the (longitudinal) impact of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) on the acquisition of intensifying constructions, using corpora of written French, Dutch, and English productions by L1 speakers, and L2 English and L2 Dutch produced by French-speaking learners in CLIL and traditional foreign language education. We hypothesize that learners will benefit from similarities between the L1 and target language (TL) intensifying constructions, and secondly, that more input and use (through CLIL) will lead to a more target-like use of intensifying constructions. The analyses include quantitative measures of frequency and productivity, and covarying analyses (Gries, 2007). Our findings suggest that, as expected, CLIL students produce intensifying constructions in a more target-like manner. The effect of the duration of TL learning, however, is more apparent in English than in Dutch.

Keywords: intensification, French/English/Dutch, Content and Language Integrated Learning, covarying collexeme analysis
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Constructionist approaches to SLA
    • 2.1Covarying collexeme analysis
    • 2.2The impact of language input on the use of intensifying constructions
  • 3.Intensification
    • 3.1Intensifying constructions
    • 3.2Cross-linguistic similarities and differences between intensification in French, English, and Dutch
  • 4.Research hypotheses
  • 5.Method
    • 5.1Participants
    • 5.2Data collection
    • 5.3Quantitative measures and statistical methods
      • 5.3.1Covarying collexeme analysis
  • 6.Results
    • 6.1Overall results
      • 6.1.1Overview intensifying constructions
      • 6.1.2Most frequent intensifiers
      • 6.1.3Types of non-target-like use of intensifying constructions
    • 6.2Results of the covarying collexeme analysis
      • 6.2.1Cross-linguistic comparison: Intensifying collostructions in French, English and Dutch
        • L1 French produced by the students who are learning English
        • L1 French produced by the students who are learning Dutch
        • L1 English
        • L1 Dutch
      • 6.2.2Collostructions in the learner languages
        • Non-CLIL English in the fifth year of secondary school
        • Non-CLIL English in sixth year of secondary school
        • CLIL English in fifth year of secondary school
        • CLIL English in sixth year of secondary school
        • Non-CLIL Dutch in fifth year of secondary school
        • Non-CLIL Dutch in sixth year of secondary school
        • CLIL Dutch in fifth year of secondary school
        • CLIL Dutch in sixth year of secondary school
  • 7.Discussion
  • 8.Conclusions
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 13 March 2019
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ijlcr.18002.hen
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