Le strategie di relativizzazione nell’italiano L2 di apprendenti maltesi

Abstract

This work is a reflection on the relativisation patterns in the written production of Maltese learners studying Italian in a formal context. A description of the non-native advanced learner variety of Italian has only been the focus of a few studies, especially in the local context. On the assumption that L1 Maltese and L2 Italian exhibit parametrically different choices in regard to restrictive relative clause formation, the current research adapts a cross-disciplinary perspective for an integrated understanding of how complex syntactic structures, such as relative clauses, appear in interlanguage and what contributes to their complexity. For this purpose, the Noun Phrase Accessibility Hierarchy, henceforth NPAH (Keenan and Comrie 1977), is used to refer to relativisation strategies in the written production of advanced students studying Italian across different levels, in a formal context. While the NPAH was construed initially as a typological universal, the research provides an example of how it can be applied to linguistic analysis in order to investigate if and how the interlanguage of advanced students adheres to patterns attested for the formation of relative clauses. Furthermore, the study explores possible implications for language teaching and learning. The experimental part of the research and the data based on a corpus of essays written by students of Italian in Malta, provide insights into questions such as: do L2 learners process language as native speakers? Are there universal properties of human language and, if so, what are they and how can they be applied to the study of interlanguage? Results suggest that the NPAH is reflected in written production and that learners use different types of relative clauses based on processing difficulty. Moreover, as proficiency increases, relative clause formation approach patterns used by native speakers. The study sheds light both on internal factors and external factors related to language acquisition, amongst which motivation and input.