Investigates the relationship between lexical semantics and derivational morphology in the acquisition of causative/inchoative-related verbs in Turkish as a second language (L2) by Spanish and English speakers. Suggests that L2 learners are attuned to the rich morphology of Turkish and that the acquisition of derivational morphology and lexical…

Investigates whether intermediate Turkish-speaking and English-speaking learners of Spanish know which unaccusative verbs alternate in transitivity and which ones do not, and whether they find causative errors natural with intransitive verbs. Results confirm similar findings to those reported in English interlanguage and first-language acquisition…

Two experiments examine the effects of the native language on the second language acquisition argument structure. The linguistic focus is on agentive verbs of directed motion and change-of-state verbs in Spanish and English. Examined whether Spanish and Turkish learners of English undergeneralize the transitivity alternation with manner of motion…

This experimental study on English, Spanish, and Turkish as second languages investigates the interaction of universal principles and first language knowledge in interlanguage grammars by focusing on verbs that participate in the causative/inchoative alternation. (Author/VWL)

Investigates whether Spanish- and Turkish-speaking learners of English discover the semantic and syntactic constraints on the causative/inchoative alternation in the absence of overt morphological clues. Results of a picture judgment task show that second language learners do discover these properties and that overall verbs appear to cluster in…

Presents three related experiments on the acquisition of two classes of causative verbs: physical change of state verbs with agentive subjects and psychological change of state verbs with experiencer objects in English, Spanish, and Turkish as second languages by speakers whose native languages are English, Spanish, Turkish, and Japanese.…