A linguistic analysis of event conceptualisation processes in first and second language discourse : evidence for language-specificity in the temporal discourse organisation of basic and advanced Czech and Hungarian learners of English
This dissertation examines conceptual reorganisation in second language learners by comparing event construal patterns in first language (L1) and second language (L2) discourse. Previous research suggests that the way grammatical aspect is encoded in the speaker's L1 can influence how events are conceptualised in their L2 (von Stutterheim & Carroll 2006). Given the lack of consensus regarding partial (Bylund 2011a) versus zero (SchmiedtovaÌ et al. 2011) susceptibility to reorganising L1 event construal patterns in L2, the present work contributes to this resonant discussion by investigating the extent to which language-specific grammatical aspectual operators influence message planning (Levelt 1989, Habel & Tappe 1999) in three typologically diverse L1 groups and four L2 groups. More specifically, film verbalisations and picture descriptions by Czech, Hungarian and English native speakers, and Czech and Hungarian learners of English at basic and advanced levels were elicited to test (a) whether crosslinguistic event construal contrasts are attributable to the differences in the grammatical means that are available for encoding temporality in a particular L1; (b) whether learnersâ degree of susceptibility
Vanek, Norbert
event conceptualisation ; grammatical aspect ; event segmentation ; information selection ; temporal structuring ; linearisation ; Czech ; Hungarian ; English ; discourse organisation
A linguistic analysis of event conceptualisation processes in first and second language discourse : evidence for language-specificity in the temporal discourse organisation of basic and advanced Czech and Hungarian learners of English. This dissertation examines conceptual reorganisation in second language learners by comparing event construal patterns in first language (L1) and second language (L2) discourse. Previous research suggests that the way grammatical aspect is encoded in the speaker's L1 can influence how events are conceptualised in their L2 (von Stutterheim & Carroll 2006). Given the lack of consensus regarding partial (Bylund 2011a) versus zero (SchmiedtovaÌ et al. 2011) susceptibility to reorganising L1 event construal patterns in L2, the present work contributes to this resonant discussion by investigating the extent to which language-specific grammatical aspectual operators influence message planning (Levelt 1989, Habel & Tappe 1999) in three typologically diverse L1 groups and four L2 groups. More specifically, film verbalisations and picture descriptions by Czech, Hungarian and English native speakers, and Czech and Hungarian learners of English at basic and advanced levels were elicited to test (a) whether crosslinguistic event construal contrasts are attributable to the differences in the grammatical means that are available for encoding temporality in a particular L1; (b) whether learnersâ degree of susceptibility
linguistic_analysis event conceptualisation process first_second language discourse evidence language specificity temporal discourse_organisation basic advance czech hungarian learners_english examines conceptual reorganisation second_language_learner compare event construal pattern first_language second_language discourse previous suggest_way grammatical_aspect encode speaker influence event conceptualise and given lack_consensus regard partial versus zero susceptibility reorganise event construal pattern present_work contributes discussion investigate_extent language_specific grammatical aspectual operator influence message planning typologically diverse_group group specifically film picture description czech hungarian english_native speaker czech hungarian learner_english basic advanced level elicit test_whether crosslinguistic event construal contrast attributable difference grammatical mean available encode temporality particular whether learner degree susceptibility