Distribution of Prodrop Syntactic Properties in L2 English of Persian Speakers

Abstract

This study set out to investigate the distribution of the syntactic properties associated<br />with the prodrop parameter by Persian-speaking L2 learners of English in an attempt<br />to examine the (un)attainability of native-like knowledge and (in)accessibility of UG<br />in adult SLA. To do so, 92 participants were assigned into different levels of L2<br />knowledge based on their performances on the Oxford Placement Test (2001). A<br />grammaticality judgment test and a translation test were developed and validated in<br />this study. Analysis of the results indicated the following hierarchy of difficulty:<br />referential subjects > expletives > verb-subject constraint > quasi subjects > thattrace<br />constraint. Findings evidence that native-like attainment of unselected L2<br />syntactic features is unlikely at advanced stages, but it is logically possible that<br />Persian-speaking L2 learners of English attain native-like knowledge of [-prodrop]<br />at very advanced or near-native stages of L2 acquisition.