Thesis (MA (General Linguistics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis reports on an investigation into the acquisition of grammatical gender in
second language (L2) German by learners with Afrikaans, English or Italian as their first
language (L1). The aim of the study was to determine how similarities and differences
between the L1 and L2 in terms of grammatical gender affect the acquisition of this
aspect of the target L2. Previous research has shown that the L2 acquisition of
grammatical gender is influenced by the morphological similarities and differences
between gender marking in the L1 and L2 (see, for example, Sabourin, Stowe and De
Haan 2006). Two experimental tasks were designed to determine to which extent the
grammatical gender of nouns is accurately reflected on determiners and adjectives.
Throughout, the L1 Italian group performed better than the other two groups. Since
Italian (like German) expresses grammatical gender on determiners and nouns, while
neither English nor Afrikaans does, the results indicate that the acquisition of
grammatical gender in an L2 is easier for learners whose L1 also expresses grammatical
gender. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis lewer verslag oor ’n ondersoek na die verwerwing van grammatikale geslag
in Duits as tweedetaal (T2) deur volwasse beginnerleerders met Afrikaans, Engels of
Italiaans as moedertaal (T1). Die doel van die ondersoek was om vas te stel hoe
ooreenkomste en verskille tussen die T1 en T2 in terme van grammatikale geslag die
verwerwing van hierdie betrokke aspek van die teikentaal beïnvloed. Vorige navorsing
het bevind dat die T2-verwerwing van grammatikale geslag beïnvloed word deur die
morfologiese ooreenkomste en verskille tussen geslagsmarkering in die T1 en T2 (sien
byvoorbeeld Sabourin, Stowe en De Haan 2006). Twee eksperimentele take is ontwerp
om vas te stel tot watter mate die grammatikale geslag van naamwoorde akkuraat
uitgedruk word op determineerders en adjektiewe. Die T1 Italiaanse groep het deurgaans
beter gevaar as die ander twee groepe. Aangesien Italiaans (soos Duits) grammatikale
geslag uitdruk op determineerders en adjektiewe, terwyl dit nie die geval in Engels en
Afrikaans is nie, dui die resultate daarop dat die verwerwing van grammatikale geslag in
'n T2 makliker is vir leerders wie se T1 ook grammatikale geslag uitdruk.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/6826 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Ellis, Carla |
| Contributors | Conradie, S., Huddlestone, K., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of General Linguistics. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | [iv] 83 p. : ill. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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