Syntax Matters: Exploring the Effect of Linguistic Similarity in Third Language Acquisition

Over the last two decades, question of to which linguistic cues learners pay attention when they decode a new language has been subject controversy in field third (L3) acquisition. In this article, we present an artificial learning experiment that investigated how lexical and syntactic similarities between L3 preexisting grammars impact crosslinguistic influence at very beginning acquisition process. We exposed four groups 30 Norwegian–English bilinguals each one L3s gave them training L3. The participants forced-choice acceptability judgments on pairs nonsubject-initial declarative clauses differed word order, grammatical English, other Norwegian. had not declaratives during exposure phases avoid confounds with learning. results showed both affect influence. discuss result considering contemporary accounts