class notes

1. DYNAMIC SYSTEMS THEORY

• Deterministic theories - precise measurements are possible -> more precise measurement of any condition will yield more precise prediction about past or future conditions

• Chaos theory – even the strictest rules and nearly perfect information can lead to unpredictable outcome -> tiny changes may lead to long-term unpredictability

DYNAMIC SYSTEMS THEORY

• Dynamic systems theory – relatively new (2000s)

• Eclectic field – a lot of other sciences affects it (psychology, sociology)

• Dynamic systems – groups of entities/parts/variable that work together as a whole, they interact in particular ways to produce some overall state or form at a particular point in time

• Dynamic system – KAA, cities, weather, stock market, a developing embryo…

• Elements involved in decision-making are usual for heterogeneity – different in nature

• Two main properties of dynamic systems – all variables interact, and this continuous interaction keeps changing the whole system over time

-> COMPLEXITY, INTERCONNECTEDNESS, CONTINUAL CHANGE, SELF-ORGANIZATION

• DST view – „no point at which it can be said that a language is completely acquired“ (Verspoon)

• Learning does not stop at predefined point

• Learning cannot be differentiated from the use of language itself

• Vocabulary and grammar changes over time – it’S not possible to learn it once and its done forever

• Becoming a proficient l2 speaker – not linear, proficiency changes in every aspect of language, all learners take l2 in different speed, it can be up and down

• DTS is not static, but continuous flux – supported with three points:

1. Multicompetence (Cook) – multilingual language system consists of a number of language specific subsystems that interact

2. Language acquisition and attrition – two sides of the same coin, should be treated together

3. Neurolinguistic evidence of brain plasticity (neural circuits involved in language acquisition)

• Monolingual performance can’t be the norm => the norm is the competence of successful L2 users

• speed of processing – bilinguals are slower than monolinguals – because of parallel activation of both languages

NESTING OF COMPLEX SYSTEMS

• NESTING OF COMPLEX SYSTEMS = smaller systems are part of greater systems (language has sub-systems – pronunciation, grammar, lexical, attention systems, linguistic knowledge, knowledge of the world, quality of the sound)

• But also, it consists of our bilingual system as the bigger system – how these two interact together

• Dialects inside the language

• The learner: a person learning a language is a complex system (complex system of a person: motivation, age, beliefs, anxiety, personality, IQ, gender, opportunities)

• Nested systems – a learner, the language to be learned, the external environment (language community, societal values), a language classroom (teachers, materials)

INTERACTIONS KEEPS CHANGING THE SYSTEMS WHICH ADAPTS

1. Diachronic change of language

• External – world changes, exchange between dialects/languages

• Internal factor – learnability, exchange between generations