A Parallel of Syntactic Development between L2 and L1 Acquisition of Chinese and English Reflexives

How and to what extent acquiring a second language (L2) is similar to or different from acquiring a first language (L1) is an intriguing and significant issue, which addresses whether and to what degree the mechanisms underlying the L2 and L1 acquisition can overlap and which leads to the ultimate question of whether a fully native-like L2 grammar can be attained.Reflexive binding, as part of the core grammar, has drawn great attention in the fields of both L1 and L2 acquisition during the past two decades. Studies of L1 acquisition and those of L2 acquisition of Chinese and English reflexives have yielded fruitful findings in their respective field. Previous studies on L1 acquisition reached a unanimous conclusion that children have access to UG and only need to learn the individual reflexive lexicon in order to bind the reflexive in accordance with Principle A. By contrast, previous studies on L2 acquisition had debatable results concerning whether L2 grammars are subject to L1 interference and whether they are strictly UG-constrained. The current study examines the controversial issues concerning L2 acquisition of reflexives by conducting a cross-language study of L2 acquisition of Chinese and English reflexives by English and Chinese speakers, together with a comparison between L2 and L1 acquisition of Chinese and English reflexives. The results suggest that previous results suggesting L1 influence in L2 grammars of reflexives and UG-illicit L2 grammars of reflexives might have been misunderstood. It is further revealed that L2 acquisition of reflexives in Chinese and English languages not only bear considerable similarities but also recapitulate the corresponding L1 acquisition. Explanations concerning the parallel between L2 and L1 development of Chinese and English reflexives are attempted.