Noun Phrase Morphemes and Topic Development in L2 Mandarin Chinese

Processability Theory (PT), a second language development theory, proposes a hierarchy of processing procedures that purportedly constrain interlanguage development. Although PT has been applied to a range of languages, little work has been done on Mandarin Chinese. The research in this book examines the development of noun phrase (NP) morphology and topic structures in interlanguage Chinese within the PT framework. The research proposes a five-stage hierarchy of NP and topic development in L2 Mandarin Chinese. Data was collected in New Zealand and China from learners with L1 English, Japanese and German. Analysis revealed conformity with the predicted developmental stages and consistency regardless of L1. This research provides further support for the predictive and explanatory power of the processing procedures proposed by PT and the role these procedures play in second language development. This book provides a point of reference for PT researchers. Researchers in second language acquisition, or more specifically those researching Mandarin Chinese as a second or foreign language, as well as students in Applied Linguistics will also find this book useful.