The Interplay of Different Sources of Knowledge in Second Language Acquisition: Some Indications for Second Language Teaching

In this work we review two studies concerning the L2 acquisition of English ’s genitive constructions and of the ’s morpheme there included, by Italian teenagers in a formal environment. In particular, we will be concerned with the interplay of different sources of knowledge (L2 input, L1 grammar, the Faculty of Language) in this process, and with some implications this may have for second language teaching. The data, examined in this perspective, show how the acquisition process is driven by the Faculty of Language and requires a complete L2 input to be triggered. The L1grammar is an option to which learners resort to when knowledge of a given property is lacking, rather than a compulsory step in the acquisition process. Some tasks in which L2ers are involved (such as translation) may favor resort to the L1 grammar since the start.