Intratypological differences in motion event descriptions : information packaging and information density in L1 and L2 acquisition

Madlener-Charpentier, Karin

Publication type:	Conference other
Type of review:	Peer review (abstract)
Title:	Intratypological differences in motion event descriptions : information packaging and information density in L1 and L2 acquisition
Authors:	Madlener-Charpentier, Karin
et. al:	No
Conference details:	Neglected Aspects of Motion Event Descriptions: De/constructing motion events (NAMED 2021), Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris,1-3 July 2021
Issue Date:	Jul-2021
Language:	English
Subject (DDC):	418: Standard language usage
Abstract:	Cross-linguistic differences in motion event descriptions are well documented, regarding information focus (which elements of the motion event are typically selected for verbalization) and information locus (which linguistic means are typically used for verbalization; cf. Slobin 1996). These differences in information packaging have been shown to influence both first (L1) and second language (L2) acquisition, as language specific lexicalization patterns direct language users’ selective attention (Thinking for Speaking/TfS; Slobin 1996). Entrenched L1 routines may lead to deviant L2 information packaging, primarily with respect to the expression of manner and path (Ellis/Cadierno 2009). However, research into more fine-grained aspects of motion event encoding, e.g., in terms of information density or intratypological differences, is only emerging (cf. Pavlenko/Volynsky 2015). For information density, Harr/Hickmann (2016) show gradual development between ages 2 and 4 for verb-framed French and satellite-framed German. Author et al. (2017) show that for German, information density actually gradually develops well into middle childhood (from light utterances like “she ran away” to information-dense, complex utterances like “the little girl ran across the street to the playground”), although target-like lexicalization patterns are available early on. The present study combines a TfS-inspired approach focusing on information packaging with a usage-based approach focusing on information density in order to investigate effects of intratypological differences on L2 use. It focuses on English and German, which are typologically closely related and share the relevant satellite-framed lexicalization patterns. Six native speakers of English (L2 German) and six native speakers of German (L2 English) retold 20 wordless cartoons and 2 picture books in their respective L1 and L2. Motion event descriptions (n=3019) were coded for semantic and syntactic complexity at the figure, verb, path and ground slots (e.g., deictic/ prepositional/multi-stage paths) and for extra manner information; this allowed for global information density estimations at the utterance level (i.e., combinatorial preferences/complexity across conceptual slots). The results show (1) significant intratypological variation in L1 motion event encoding in terms of information density and (2) significant effects on L2 motion event encoding: (1) L1 German users display significantly higher levels of global information density in motion event descriptions than L1 English users (W=374534, p<0.001), due to higher numbers of manner verbs (cf. Pavlenko/Volynsky 2015), more complex path/ground realizations and more combinations of the two in L1 German as compared to L1 English. (2a) L2 German users produce significantly less complex motion event clauses than L1 German users (W=261558.5, p<0.001), indicating L1 influence, possibly enhanced by general interlanguage trends. Importantly, L2 German figure-verb-path-ground patterns are significantly less complex than both L1 baselines, suggesting that L2 users particularly tend to reduce information density at the utterance level for more complex, challenging constructional patterns. (2b) L2 English users do not differ from English L1 users (W=341645.5, p=0.814 n.s.), indicating that information density reduction from L1 to L2 is more easily available. Yet the fact that, both in their L1 and L2, L1 German speakers produce highly complex motion event descriptions much more frequently than L1 English users in both their languages still indicates subtle L1 influence.
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/23933
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	Not specified
Departement:	Applied Linguistics
Organisational Unit:	Institute of Language Competence (ILC)
Appears in collections:	Publikationen Angewandte Linguistik

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Madlener-Charpentier, K. (2021, July). Intratypological differences in motion event descriptions : information packaging and information density in L1 and L2 acquisition. Neglected Aspects of Motion Event Descriptions: De/Constructing Motion Events (NAMED 2021), Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris,1-3 July 2021.

Madlener-Charpentier, K. (2021) ‘Intratypological differences in motion event descriptions : information packaging and information density in L1 and L2 acquisition’, in Neglected Aspects of Motion Event Descriptions: De/constructing motion events (NAMED 2021), Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris,1-3 July 2021.

K. Madlener-Charpentier, “Intratypological differences in motion event descriptions : information packaging and information density in L1 and L2 acquisition,” in Neglected Aspects of Motion Event Descriptions: De/constructing motion events (NAMED 2021), Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris,1-3 July 2021, Jul. 2021.

MADLENER-CHARPENTIER, Karin, 2021. Intratypological differences in motion event descriptions : information packaging and information density in L1 and L2 acquisition. In: Neglected Aspects of Motion Event Descriptions: De/constructing motion events (NAMED 2021), Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris,1-3 July 2021. Conference presentation. Juli 2021

Madlener-Charpentier, Karin. 2021. “Intratypological Differences in Motion Event Descriptions : Information Packaging and Information Density in L1 and L2 Acquisition.” Conference presentation. In Neglected Aspects of Motion Event Descriptions: De/Constructing Motion Events (NAMED 2021), Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris,1-3 July 2021.

Madlener-Charpentier, Karin. “Intratypological Differences in Motion Event Descriptions : Information Packaging and Information Density in L1 and L2 Acquisition.” Neglected Aspects of Motion Event Descriptions: De/Constructing Motion Events (NAMED 2021), Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris,1-3 July 2021, 2021.