Journal | Annali di Ca’ Foscari. Serie occidentale
Journal issue | 56 | 2022
Research Article | Is it only about only? A Study on Focus Particle Placement Acceptability in L2 English Learners and English Monolinguals
Is it only about only? A Study on Focus Particle Placement Acceptability in L2 English Learners and English Monolinguals
Abstract
The placement of adverbs has been widely studied over the last few decades, both in first (L1) and second language (L2) acquisition. While traditional grammars teach that the preferred order in English is (S)ubject, (A)dverb, and (V)erb, adverbs which introduce focus receive less attention. Focus particles take scope over the constituents they precede, making their placement and interpretation in a sentence variable. In this study I investigate the acceptability of Focus particle (only, even, also) placement when used as adverbs in 96 participants: 48 Italian L2 English learners and 48 English monolinguals.
Submitted: Aug. 4, 2021 | Accepted: Nov. 10, 2021 | Published April 12, 2022 | Language: en
Keywords Adverbs • Focus particles • Foreign Language Learning • Second Language Acquisition
Copyright © 2022 Michaela Mae Vann. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/AnnOc/2499-1562/2022/10/003
