First-language attrition

[Aurolyn Luykx]

Hi Hamo,
I would question a couple of the assumptions in your
last message:

> The more second languages take hold, the more first
> languages are endangered.

This is of course the way it often goes, but (IMHO)
that is due more to political reasons, than to
anything inherent in language learning itself. In many
parts of the world, there are languages co-existing in
stable diglossic situations, and populations that stay
bi- or multilingual for generations, rather than just
going through a couple of bilingual generations as the
L2 edges out the L1. In other words, you're right, but
it need not be so.

> If it can be shown that second languages have been
> oversold...

Not sure what you mean by that -- do you mean that the
claims of the economic and social advantages provided
by the L2 (usually the colonial language) are
exaggerated? I'm not sure I'd agree, though certainly
such claims may be "oversold" relative to the degree
of mastery that most speakers will ever actually
achieve in the L2. On the other hand, my experience in
Bolivia indicates that even a very limited mastery of
the L2 (whether Spanish or English) can bring big
benefits. However, the policy of mandatory EFL
instruction in all public schools, even those rural
schools where children don't know much Spanish, is
appallingly ineffective, since there is no context of
use outside the classroom and the teachers are usually
not speakers of English (native or otherwise)
themselves.

Also, is there really so little attention to L2
attrition? Participants in this list seem more
concerned with L1 attrition, but in the world of
foreign language institutes, modern lgs. depts., etc.,
I can't imagine there isn't quite a bit of attention
to the long-term effectiveness of L2 learning. In
general, I'd say L2 attrition happens when new
speakers have few opportunities for authentic use of
their newly-acquired proficiencies, and that where
they do have such opportunities, attrition is not
likely to be a problem.

Good luck trying to convince all those politically  &
economically marginalized, aspiring L2 learners that
they don't really need the L2 as much as they think
they do!
Aurolyn Luykx
Anthropology Dept.
U. of Oklahoma



		
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