The DOI matches its Crossref record; 14 of the 14 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
The poverty-of-the-stimulus argument and multicompetence
Abstract
This paper examines the consequences of the fact that human minds may know more than one language for the poverty-of-the-stimulus argument that speakers know more than they could have learnt. Qualifications to the argument are necessary because not all L2 learners attain the same compe tence as L1 speakers; types of evidence are potentially available that can be ruled out for the Ll. The way in which L2 learning has been concep tualized in terms of access to UG and of a black box metaphor makes the L2 grammar seem separate from the L1 grammar rather than one over all system contained within a single mind. What is needed is the idea of 'multicompetence' - the compound state of a mind with two grammars. Multicompetence is the norm for the human race in that most minds know more than one language. Hence the logical problem of language acquisition is how the mind acquires a grammar with one or more settings for each parameter, rather than the special case of a mind that knows only one language. This has implications for all uses of the poverty-of-the-stimulus argument, not just in L2 learning.
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“We contend that native language knowledge, rather than universal grammar, is an important mechanism device of L2 acquisition (Cook, 1991).”
From Syntactic Networks of Interlanguage Across L2 Modalities and Proficiency Levels (2021) · cites this paper as Cook, 1991
Citations
Cites
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Chomsky, N. (1988) · Cited by 934
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Self-citationUniversal Grammar and Second Language Acquisition
White, L. (1989) · Language acquisition & language disorders · doi:10.1075/lald.1 · Cited by 636
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Cook, V. J., & Newson, M. (2007) · Cited by 481
Self-citationSecond Language Learning and Language Teaching
Call, M. E., & Cook, V. (1992) · Modern Language Journal · doi:10.2307/330058 · Cited by 464
Self-citationStructure Dependence in Grammar Formation
Crain, S., & Nakayama, M. (1987) · Language · doi:10.2307/415004 · Cited by 402
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Bley‐Vroman, R., Felix, S. W., & loup, G. L. (1988) · Second language Research · doi:10.1177/026765838800400101 · Cited by 177
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- Chomsky, N., 1972, Language and mind
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Second Language Acquisition and Universal Grammar
White, L. (2003) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511815065 · Cited by 1,338
Language Is a Complex Adaptive System: Position Paper
The “Five Graces Group”, Beckner, C., Blythe, R. A., Bybee, J., Christiansen, M. H., Croft, W., Ellis, N. C., Holland, J. H., Ke, J., Larsen‐Freeman, D., et al. (2009) · Language Learning · doi:10.1111/j.1467-9922.2009.00533.x · Cited by 1,235
Cook, V. J. (1992) · Language Learning · doi:10.1111/j.1467-1770.1992.tb01044.x · Cited by 855
Self-citationHeritage Languages and Their Speakers
Polinsky, M. (2018) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781107252349 · Cited by 759
Third or Additional Language Acquisition
Angelis, G. D. (2007) · Multilingual Matters eBooks · doi:10.21832/9781847690050 · Cited by 687
Metadata
- Authors
- Cook, V. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Essex (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Cook, V.J.
- Venue
- Interlanguage studies bulletin (Utrecht)
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 1991-06
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 103-117
- ISSN
- 0165-9960 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2018247628
- Cited by
- 534
- References
- 14
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 39 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 41 · 2020: 33 · 2019: 46 · 2018: 60 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 41 · 2015: 47 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 18
- FWCI
- 8.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Second language Research (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Language Development and Disorders
- Keywords
- poverty of the stimulus, multicompetence, second language acquisition, universal grammar, language acquisition, grammatical competence, language universals
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