Abstract
In attempting to come to an understanding of the processes involved in acquiring the syntax of a second language, it has become evident that we must consider generalizations and approximations of target language (TL) structures.1 However, it is also clear that an explanatory account of L2 acquisition cannot be given on the basis of the TL alone. There are additional factors that shape the progress of development. Two major ones have been suggested: language transfer and language universals. The former has a long history and tradition (cf. Gass and Selinker 1983 for a discussion), while the second has only recently begun to attract attention. In this paper I will review the separate literature of each of these areas and show that both are important not only as single shaping factors, but also as interacting ones.
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