L2 Learners’ Sensitivity to Verb-based Cues and the Complementizer ‘that’ in Sentential Complement Structures

• Published in: 영미연구, 54(0) pp. 227 - 250
• Main Author: 김지현
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 영미연구소 01.02.2022
• Subjects: 학제간연구
• ISSN: 2508-4135; 2508-5417

The present study examines whether Korean L2 learners of English are able to use verb-based cues and the complementizer that to judge the acceptability of sentences with sentential complement structures in English. L2 learners of English participated in an acceptability judgment task, in which the experimental sentences are manipulated for verb bias of the main verb and presence of the complementizer that. Results show that acceptability ratings are significantly higher when the complementizer that precedes the sentential complement for direct object (DO)-bias and Equi (EQ)-bias verbs, but not for sentential complement (SC)-bias verbs. These results suggest that the L2 learners are able to efficiently combine the two cues in a way similar to the patterns shown by native English speakers in previous studies. The interactive use of the two cues suggests that the L2 learners has acquired relative cue validities as predicted by the Competition Model (McDonald, 1987). However, the L2 learners in this study also show differences from native speakers of English in that they are not yet sensitive to graded differences in verb bias cues. KCI Citation Count: 0