Chen Hui & You, Seok-Hoon. 2018. Korean Learner’s L2 Performance in
Syntax-Semantics interface: Chinese Wh-words as Existential Polarity Words.
Language Information. Volume 26. 103-128. This study aims to test applicability
of the Interface Hypothesis (Sorace & Tsimpli, 2006) in L2 through investigating
L2 acquisition of Chinese Wh-Words as Existential Polarity Words (hence force
EPWs) by L1 Korean speakers. The present study compares the results of the
acceptability judgment test of Chinese EPWs between learner group and native
speaker group to investigate 1. Are the interface properties concerning Chinese
EPWs and their licensors acquirable by Korea-speaking learners of Chinese? 2.
If not, what are the linguistic or non-linguistic effects which cause the interface
breakdown? The results show that L2 Chinese learners are unable to establish
a complete semantics-syntax relationship with the EPW embedded in the sentence,
even at the final state of L2 acquisition. And the results also show that L2 Chinese
acquisition is not linear development.
Keywords: Interface Hypothesis, L2 Chinese, wh-existential polarity words, EPW,
crosslinguistic influence