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Approaches and Methods in French Second Language Acquisition Research
Edited by Martin Howard
[Research Methods in Applied Linguistics 9] 2025
► pp. 154–175

Chapter 7
Methods and approaches in second language research of L2 French syntax

 | University of Washington
 | University of Nevada, Las Vegas
This chapter evaluates methodological inquiries to L2 acquisition (L2A) of French syntax and approaches used to carry them out. Over four decades, a range of theoretical approaches to L2 French syntax have prevailed in North America, Asia and Europe. For example, the generative or Universal Grammar (UG) perspective maintains that learning entails elaboration of an L2 grammar determined by universal principles and L1 influence. Functionalist approaches take a more wholistic perspective in situating syntax within the sociocultural context, examining both its interface with pragmatics and its place within the learner’s interlanguage. Earlier investigations primarily used offline data from spontaneous and elicited production and comprehension tasks involving metalinguistic grammaticality judgement. Current research emphasizes the growing importance of methodology, including considerations of proficiency level, range of data collection methods, validity and replicability. Recent articles treating French syntax range in methodology from sociolinguistic interview to real-time eye-tracking; furthermore, publishers of this research encourage authors to make available materials (IRIS database) and to share in Open Source. This chapter first outlines theoretical approaches to L2 French syntax; it then critically examines methodological developments in data collection and analysis, while pointing to future directions of research, including the link between L2A research and pedagogy.
Keywords: morphosyntax, Universal Grammar, grammaticality judgement, elicited production, Shallow Parsing, European Science Foundation, Poverty of the Stimulus, Intervention research, pedagogy, Critical Period Hypothesis
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Historical background of L2 French syntax methodologies
  • Current methodologies examining L2 French syntax
  • Discussion and future directions
  • Conclusion
  • Author queries
  • References
This content is being prepared for publication; it may be subject to changes.
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