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What we have to explain in foreign language learning

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 February 2010

Robert Bley-Vroman
Affiliation:
Department of English as a Second Language, Program in Second Language Acquisition, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hl 96822. vroman@hawaii.edu

Abstract

While child language development theory must explain invariant “success,” foreign language learning theory must explain variation and lack of success. The fundamental difference hypothesis (FDH) outlines such a theory. Epstein et al. ignore the explanatory burden, mischaracterize the FDH, and underestimate the resources of human cognition. The field of second language acquisition is not divided into camps by views on “access” to UG.

Information

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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