Perception of Uniqueness and the Acquisition of the English Article System

Authors

  • Lech Zabor

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18485/bells.2011.3.4

Keywords:

acquisition of English articles, definiteness, uniqueness

Abstract

This paper examines the patterns of article use by Polish learners of English as a second language. On the basis of existing theories of the meaning of English articles, it will be demonstrated that the acquisition of the English article system depends on learners’ perception of the uniqueness of a noun phrase. The purpose of the article is to compare learners’ performance in the forced-choice elicitation task in three categories of noun phrases: (1) definite and unique through associations, (2) definite and unique through previous mention, general knowledge or knowledge of the immediate situation), and (3) indefinite and unique through associations or previous mention. The analysis of data obtained from two groups of lowerintermediate and advanced learners leads to certain limited conclusions about the role of uniqueness and other semantic and discourse-related universals that contribute crucially to the interpretation of the English definite article.

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Published

2011-11-13

How to Cite

Zabor, L. . (2011). Perception of Uniqueness and the Acquisition of the English Article System. Belgrade English Language and Literature Studies, 3(1), 63–86. https://doi.org/10.18485/bells.2011.3.4

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 1 (2011): BELLS - volume 3

Section

THEORETICAL AND APPLIED LINGUISTICS

License

Copyright (c) 2021 Lech Zabor

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