Article published In:
Language, Interaction and AcquisitionVol. 6:2 (2015) ► pp.181–201
Complexity at the phrasal level in spoken L1 and very advanced L2 French
This article examines linguistic complexity in the noun phrase in spoken L1 and L2 French. Research on linguistic complexity in L2 has often concentrated on syntactic complexity, subordination in particular. In this study, we focus on syntactic complexity at the phrasal level, i.e. in the noun phrase, following the assumption put forward by Norris and Ortega (2009: 564) that internal NP complexity provides an important measure of very advanced learners. The present study examines pre- and post-modification in the noun phrase in the oral production of very advanced non-native speakers (NNS) and native speakers (NS) elicited through an on-line retelling of a clip from Modern Times. The results confirm our main hypothesis, that there are differences between NS and NNS: NS use more complex NPs, NPs with a higher mean number of words and more NPs with multiple modifiers.
References
Ågren, M., Granfeldt, J. & Schlyter, S
(2012) The growth of complexity and accuracy in L2 French. In A. Housen, F. Kuiken & I. Vedder (eds.), Dimensions of L2 performance and proficiency. Complexity, accuracy and fluency (95–119). Amsterdam: John Benjamins. 
Bartning, I
(1996) Éléments pour une typologie des SN complexes en de en français. In L. Kupferman (ed.), La préposition de
. Langue française 1091, 29–43.
(2001) Towards a typology of French NP de NP structures or how much possession is there in complex noun phrases with de in French? In I. Baron, M. Herslund & F. Sorensen (eds.), Dimensions of possession (147–167). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Bartning, I. & Forsgren, M
(2010) Les adjectifs relationnels revisités. In J. Goes & E. Moline (eds.), L’adjectif hors de sa catégorie (57–77). Artois: Artois Presses Universitaires.
Bartning, I. & Hammarberg, B
(2007) The functions of a high-frequency collocation in native and learner discourse: The case of French c’est and Swedish det är
. IRAL 451, 1–43.
Bartning, I. & Kirchmeyer, N
(2003) Le développement de la compétence textuelle à travers les stades acquisitionnels en français L2. AILE 191, 9–41.
Bartning, I. & Schlyter, S
(2004) Itinéraires acquisitionnels et stades de développement en français L2. Journal of French Language Studies 141, 301–321.
Bulté, B. & Housen, A
(2012) Defining and operationalizing L2 complexity. In A. Housen, F. Kuiken & I. Vedder (eds.), Dimensions of L2 performance and proficiency. complexity, accuracy and fluency in SLA (21–46). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
(2014) Conceptualizing and measuring short-term changes in L2 writing complexity. Journal of Second Language Writing 261, 42–65.
Dahl, Ö
Erman, B. & Lewis, M
subm.). Complexity in the noun phrase in native and very advanced non-native speech. Stockholm University.
Forsberg Lundell, F. & Bartning, I
(2015) Successful profiles in high-level L2 French – ‘c’est un choix de vie’. In F. Forsberg Lundell & I. Bartning (eds.), Cultural migrants and optimal language acquisition. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
Forsberg Lundell, F., Bartning, I., Engel, H., Gudmundson, A., Hancock, V. & Lindqvist, C
(2014) Beyond advanced stages in high-level L2 French. Journal of French Language Studies 241, 1–26.
Flaux, N. & van de Velde, D
(2000) Les noms en français: Esquisse de classement. Paris: Ophrys.
Granfeldt, J
(2003) L’acquisition des catégories fonctionnelles. Étude comparative du développement du DP français chez des enfants et des apprenants adultes. Lund: Lunds universitet.
Gyllstad, H., Granfeldt, J., Bernadini, P. & Källkvist, M
Hancock, V. & Kirchmeyer, N
(2005) Discourse structuring in advanced L2 French: The relative clause. In J.M. Dewaele (ed.), Focus on French (17–35). Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
Housen, A. & Kuiken, F
(2009) Complexity, accuracy and fluency in second language acquisition, Applied Linguistics 301, 461–473.
Housen, A., Kuiken, F. & Vedder, I
(eds.) (2012) Dimensions of L2 performance and proficiency. Complexity, accuracy and fluency in SLA. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Hyltenstam, K, Bartning, I. & Fant, L
(eds.) (2014) Avancerad Andraspråksanvändning. Slutrapport från ett forskningsprogram. RJ:s skriftserie 2. Göteborg/Stockholm: Makadam Förlag.
Jensen, J. & Howard, M
(2014) The effect of time in the development of complexity and accuracy during study abroad. A study of French and Chinese learners of English. EUROSLA Yearbook 141, 31–64.
Kleiber, G., Laca, B. & Tasmowski, L
(eds.) (2001) Typologie des groupes nominaux. Rennes: PUR.
Kufpermann, L
(ed) (1996) La préposition de
. Langue française 1091.
Lahmann, C
2015 Beyond barriers: Complexity, accuracy, and fluency in long-term L2 speakers’ speech. PhD thesis. Rijksuniversiteit Groningen.
Marcusson, M
(2013) La construction Nom+de+Nom en français contemporain: Essai d’une approche cognitive. PhD thesis. Tromsö University.
Miestamo, M
(2008) Grammatical complexity in a cross-linguistic perspective. In M. Miestamo, K. Sinnemäki & F. Karlsson (eds.), Language complexity: Typology, contact, change (23–41). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Noailly, M
(1990) Le substantif épithète. Paris: PUF.
(1999) L’adjectif en français. Paris: Ophrys.
Norris, J. & Ortega, L
(2009) Towards an organic approach to investigating CAF in instructed SLA. The case of complexity. Applied Linguistics 30(4), 555–578.
Pallotti, G
(2009) CAF: Defining, refining and differentiating constructs. Applied Linguistics 30(4), 590–601.
(2015) A simple view of linguistic complexity. Second Language Research 31(1): 117–134.
Pedersen, J., Spang-Hanssen, E. & Vikner, C
(1982) Fransk universitetsgrammatik. Stockholm: Esselte studium.
Ravid, D. & Berman, R
(2010) Developing noun phrase complexity at school age: A text-embedded cross-linguistic analysis. First Language 301, 3–26.
Riegel, M., Pellat, J-Chr. & Rioul, R
(1994/2011) Grammaire méthodique du français. Paris: PUF.
Rouget, C
(2000) Distribution et sémantique des constructions Nom de Nom. Paris: Honoré Champion.
Tonkyn, A
(2012) Measuring and perceiving changes in oral complexity, accuracy and fluency. In A. Housen, F. Kuiken & I. Vedder (eds.), Dimensions of L2 performance and proficiency. Complexity, accuracy and fluency in SLA (221–245). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Van Daele, S., Housen A. & Pierrard, M
(2007) Fluency, accuracy and complexity in the manifestation and the development of two second languages. In S. van Daele, A. Housen, F. Kuiken, M. Pierrard & I. Vedder (eds.), Complexity, accuracy and fluency in second language learning and teaching (301–316). Wetteren: Universa Press.
Wolfe-Quintero, K., Inagaki, S. & Kim, H.-Y
(1998) Second language development in writing. Measures of fluency, accuracy and complexity. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii.