Page 45 - Diversity in Action

Transfer in Early Multilingual Acquisition

or unconsciously. In this case, transfer is often referred to as interference.
In the example above, the child uses L1 structures as a strategy to explore
the new language system, much like in the L1 acquisition process. The child
demonstrates an ability to navigate the new language, German; otherwise,
she would not explicitly express the subject ich, as this is not required in her
L1, Italian. This suggests that while she draws on her L1 when needed, she
has already internalised a key syntactic feature – overt pronominal subject –
where German (L2) differs from Italian (L1).

Which Factors Lead Speakers to Transfer?
No one denies that L1 transfer occurs in L2 learning. The crucial question is:
what factors constrain transfer? Every learner, including children, discovers
features of the L2 through the input they receive, process them based on
the structures they already know, and store them as suitable for their L2 pro-
duction. Unless they receive further input that contradicts their assumptions,
learners tend to assume that the L2 functions like the L1 – a phenomenon
known as ‘transfer to somewhere’ (Andersen, 1983).
The distinction between a communicative strategy and a learning strategy
is subtle, as communication in the L2 can play a key role in acquisition. For
this reason, the term learner strategy (McDonough, 1999) is often preferred
over general learning strategies. Thus, the contrastive hypothesis cannot be
regarded as absolutely true; rather, it serves as a starting point in the learning
process. If supported by broad, rich, and authentic input, it corresponds to
the initial stage of L2 acquisition. Once this stage is surpassed, acquisition
proceeds in sequences similar to those of L1 acquisition, albeit with a time
lag. According to Tracy (2008), this delay is approximately one year compared
to the L1 acquisition phases.
From a strictly cognitive perspective, one can view this phase as a period
in which the L2 is not yet fully integrated or automatised, in Edmondson’s
(1999) sense. In other words, the new language has not yet been processed
or proceduralised (Andersen, 1983). At this stage, the learner can only access
the L2 in a controlled manner. Since readiness for L2 use depends heavily on
communicative situations, the learner’s performance may vary. Over time,
the learner may recognise the inadequacy of their own production if con-
ditions permit. This type of transfer is therefore called procedural because it
marks a specific stage in the acquisition process and represents a step to-
ward proceduralisation – provided that communicative conditions allow for
further development.
In this case, we observe a cognitive transfer, as the child has not yet fully

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