interlanguage
C2Academic, Technical
Definition
Meaning
A unique linguistic system developed by a language learner, reflecting a transitional stage between their native language and the target language.
In linguistics and language teaching, a learner-specific, systematic, and evolving mental grammar that incorporates elements from both the L1 and L2, and may contain non-target-like but rule-governed forms.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term describes a system, not an error. It is rule-governed and dynamic, constantly evolving as proficiency increases. It is sometimes used synonymously with 'learner language' or 'transitional competence'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or spelling differences. The concept is identical in both varieties.
Connotations
Primarily a technical term in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) theory with no cultural or emotive connotations.
Frequency
Exclusively used in academic/linguistic contexts. Virtually never used in everyday conversation in either variety.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The linguist analysed the learner's [interlanguage].Her [interlanguage] shows influence from her native German.Fossilization can occur in a learner's [interlanguage].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this technical term]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Core term in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research, applied linguistics, and language teaching methodology.
Everyday
Extremely rare; would only be used by linguists or language teachers in professional discussion.
Technical
The primary context. Used to describe and analyse the systematic errors and developmental stages of language learners.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- [Too advanced for A2 level]
- Language learners create their own system, called an interlanguage.
- Her interlanguage uses Spanish word order in English sentences sometimes.
- The researcher's study focused on the fossilisation of specific grammatical structures in the learners' interlanguages.
- Analysing a student's interlanguage can help a teacher understand the root of their persistent errors.
- Selinker's theory posits that an interlanguage is a separate linguistic system, governed by its own rules, which can be described in terms of its phonology, morphology, and syntax.
- The concept of interlanguage challenges the simplistic view of L2 acquisition as merely a process of replacing L1 habits with L2 ones.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think INTERnational + LANGUAGE: it's a language system that exists IN BETWEEN the learner's native tongue and the foreign one they are acquiring.
Conceptual Metaphor
A BRIDGE (spanning the gap between L1 and L2), A SNAPSHOT (of a moving, developing system), A CONSTRUCTION SITE (where the new language is being built, with materials from both sources).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as 'межъязыковой' (inter-linguistic), which refers to something between languages, not a learner's system. The closer concept is 'интеръязык' (a direct borrowing) or 'промежуточный язык учащегося'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'interlanguage' to mean a pidgin or creole (it is individual, not societal).
- Using it to simply mean 'a mistake' rather than the underlying, systematic grammar.
- Confusing it with 'language interference' (which is just one source of interlanguage rules).
Practice
Quiz
What is the key characteristic of an 'interlanguage'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Broken English' is a pejorative, non-technical term implying deficiency. Interlanguage is a neutral, scientific term describing a systematic and natural stage of development with its own internal logic.
Yes, fossilization is a key concept. It refers to the permanent stabilization of certain non-target-like features in a learner's interlanguage, even after extensive exposure and instruction.
Yes, according to SLA theory. Every learner, at every stage of proficiency, operates using their current interlanguage system, which continuously evolves towards the target language.
Language transfer (or interference) is one of the processes that *shapes* an interlanguage. Interlanguage is the entire system; transfer is one of the sources (along with overgeneralization, learning strategies, etc.) for the rules of that system.