Resumen de Language acquisition as computational resetting: verb movement in L3 initial state

Abdelkader Hermas

• This study considers the acquisition of the verb movement parameter in L3 English by adult Arabic–French bilinguals. The focus is on the nature of the L3 initial state and the contribution of the syntactic (CHL) and post-syntactic (phonetic form) modules to the process of parameter resetting. The results of acceptability judgement tests and preference tests show that the initial state of L3 English is influenced exclusively by the final state of L1 Arabic. It also reveals that the universal mechanisms of the computational modules operate according to the L1 specifications, resulting in the misrepresentation of L3 target structures. The concept of parameter resetting is consequently redefined as a computational readjustment at the (post-) syntactic levels.