L’influence de l’anglais L2 sur les subordonnées en français L3 chez les élèves néerlandophones

Abstract

Recent studies on third languages acquisition show that the role of previously acquired languages play an important role in the learning process. They often out rule the mother tongue (L1) as students borrow extensively from their L2 in their L3 interlanguage. This study tries to amend the so called L2 Status Factor by finding the right parameters for the selection of L1 or L2 as a source of linguistic transfer in L3. The level of L2 knowledge might play a decisive role in favouring one source over another. In this study 35 Dutch high school students (second grade havo/vwo) were first tested on their knowledge of English (L2) using a test to determine their CEFR-level. The students had to put 25 French dependent clauses with adverbs into the right order. Our results show that they applied significantly more English word orders (SAdvOV) than Dutch word orders (SAdvVO) to the French sentences. However, there was no correlation between the CEFR-level and the number of Dutch or English orders they applied.