Wh-Constraints in Interlanguage Grammar of L2 Learners from the Perspective of Universal Grammar: A Case Study of First-Year English Majors at a University in Vietnam

Abstract

In the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA), researchers are more concerned with the cognitive processes that L2 (second language) learners undergo than with the surface-level structural properties of language. Chomsky (1980) proposed the theory of Universal Grammar (UG), which consists of a system of principles governing the universal properties of natural languages. He argued that UG enables a child to acquire their L1 (first language), but whether L2 learners undergo the same process as in L1 acquisition remains a key question. The present study aims to address this question by analyzing the underlying acquisition processes of wh-constraints in English among a group of L2 learners. It also seeks to understand their interlanguage grammar, which is consistent and unique. The study employed a case study approach alongside a quantitative method using an Acceptability Judgment Test. Participants included 29 first-year English majors at a university in Vietnam. The findings suggest that these L2 learners have limited access to UG during L2 acquisition but have acquired specific aspects of wh-constraints. Additionally, higher language proficiency appears to support better acquisition of these constraints. The study also offers pedagogical implications for EFL teachers regarding grammar teaching.

Received 15^th December 2024; Revised 15^th March 2025; Accepted 15^th April 2025