Creativity in second language syntax and the limits of formula-based language teaching

Prof.Dr. David Stringer (Indiana University Bloomington)

The teaching of meaning in a second language is conventionally at the level of words, sentences, or texts; the memorization of fixed phrases is usually understood to be no more than a useful supplement to core language learning. However, one prominent idea in current second language research is that the learning of formulaic expressions is fundamental to the acquisition of grammar. On this view, communicative language is mostly prefabricated. Phrases are first memorized and later analyzed, so that syntax emerges without any need for grammatical principles (e.g., Ellis, 2003, 2012). In this talk, I present evidence that supports the alternative perspective: that the acquisition of grammar is essentially independent of the memorization of formulaic expressions (e.g., Bardovi-Harlig & Stringer, 2013, 2017). I examine form-meaning connections at the level of phrases, complex words, and individual verbs, in order to suggest that learners do not process complex phrases holistically by default. Rather, they automatically and unconsciously analyze all words and phrases to the best of their ability given their current state of grammatical knowledge, producing very creative forms in the process. I relate these findings to the emphasis on phrase-level teaching materials in some current textbooks, considering advantages and disadvantages of this approach.