SOURCES OF VARIATION IN INTERLANGUAGE

Abstract

Variation is pervasive in interlanguage. Two hypotheses that have been suggested to explain variation are multiple internal representations of a form and processing errors. Both of these explanations are compatible with the hypothesis that the mental representation of grammar is categorical, allowing only discrete and not fuzzy or probabilistic mental representations. A number of scholars, however, have suggested that linguistic structures may be represented internally in the form of prototype schemas, which are non-discrete representations. For example, Bybee and Moder propose that for first language learners the past tense of class II irregular verbs like sting is related to a prototype schema for the present tense form of these verbs, namely /s/ C (C) /I/ /n/. Variation in production arises when a learner encounters a new verb whose present tense differs in minor ways from the prototype. The learner may variably analyze the new verb as a regular verb or as a class II irregular. The closer the present tense form is to the prototype, the more likely the class II irregular form will be produced on any particular occasion, but until the correct past form is memorized, production will be based on comparison to the prototype, and therefore will be probabilistic. We suggest that second language learners as well can initially represent new forms as prototype schemas, and that such non-discrete representations are a third source of variation in interlanguage.