Naslov
The and A in the interlanguage of Croatian primary school learners

Autori
Balenović, Katica ; Medved Krajnović, Marta

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Poglavlja u knjigama, znanstveni

Knjiga
UZRT 2012: Empirical Research in English Applied Linguistics

Urednik/ci
Mihaljević Djigunović, Jelena ; Medved Krajnović, Marta

Izdavač
FF Press

Grad
Zagreb

Godina
2013

Raspon stranica
36-44

ISBN
978-953-175-458-3

Ključne riječi
definite article, indefinite article, EFL, primary school

Sažetak
The development of the native-like use of the English definite and indefinite article in EFL learners’ interlanguage has been found to be a long process with pronounced variability (Jarvis 2002). This is even more so for the learners whose first language does not contain articles (Trenkic 2002, Zergollern-Miletić 2008). Prompeted by these findings, we have analysed the development of the use of the definite and indefinite article in the set of transcripts of the recordings of individual interviews of 12 students from two different classes during three consecutive years – in grade five, six and seven, i.e. towards the end of the second, third and fourth year of EFL learning. The analysis showed results which are very much in line with previous research findings and the so-called Fluctuation Hypothesis (Ionin 2008). Although the students overall language development showed clear progress (e.g. measured in terms of MLU, type-token ratio), the development of the correct use of definite and indefinite article remained a very variable one. There is progress in the sense that throughout the years the use of both types of article increases, meaning that the students are becoming aware of its existence and the need to use it, but the incorrect usage (e.g. substitution of the definite article by indefinite and vice versa) is still very frequent, especially in novel lexico-grammatical context.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Filologija

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