Native-like Level of L2 Acquisition and Social Integration of Russian Teenagers in the Czech Republic
Abstract
In Second language acquisition, there exists massive research on issues, such as nativelikeness, L1 attrition or language transfer. However, the majority of these studies is based on typologically distant languages (e.g., Abrahamsson & Hyltenstam, 2009; De Bot, 1994; De Groot, 2011; Montrul & Slabakova, 2003; Marinova-Todd, 2003).
Our project aims to contribute to this discussion by focusing on closely related languages, such as Russian and Czech. The main question is whether or not and to what extent typological resemblance can aid in achieving nativelikeness in L2 and inhibiting L1 attrition.
In order to answer this question, a group of young Russian-Czech bilingual adults will be investigated, who moved to the Czech Republic and started to acquire the language at age 12. The informants should be also fully integrated individuals who have been living in the host country for at least 10 years.
In this respect, we focus on a specific group of immigrants, who, being native speakers of Russian and of Russian origin, migrated from countries other than Russia (Ukraine, Belorussia, Kazakhstan, etc.). This group perceived to be a forgotten group among linguists.
However, we assume that their motivation in language acquisition, social integration and acculturation might be quite different from the Russians who emigrated from the Russian Federation.