Chapter 9
Discourse-pragmatic conditions for Object topicalisation structures in early L2
Chinese
In this chapter, I explore the connection between language processing and
discourse-pragmatic factors in the L2 acquisition of three (Mandarin) Chinese Object
topicalisation structures. Processability Theory (Pienemann, 1998, 2005) and Information
Structure Theory (Lambrecht, 1994) are employed to
investigate when the required processing procedures are in place in the learners’ L2
Chinese, what facilitates the learners’ discourse-pragmatic interpretation of the
communicative context such that among various structural possibilities, they choose the
non-canonical Object topicalisation structures. Two longitudinal studies of 6
ab-initio L2 learners of Chinese in two learning environments were
examined. The findings show three types of discourse contexts to be particularly conducive
for the production of the Object topicalisation structures: (1) Question and Answer
(Q&A) sequences; (2) the presence of a local inanimate topic (an inanimate NP being the
sentence topic at a particular point of a conversation); and (3) the ‘disposal’ situation.
The study enhances our understanding of the discourse-pragmatic conditions that motivate and
trigger L2 structural choices under the general constraints of processability.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Chinese Object topicalisation structures
- 3.The studies: Informants, data collection and data analysis
- 4.Results
- 4.1The processing factor in Object topicalisation
- 4.2Discourse-pragmatic conditions for Object topicalisation
- 5.Discussion
- 6.Conclusion
-
Acknowledgement
-
Notes
-
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