This book details patterns of language use found in the writing of adult learners of Norwegian as a second language (L2). Each study draws its data from the same corpus of L2 Norwegian texts and examines the learners’ use of Norwegian in relation to the morphological, syntactic, lexical, semantic and pragmatic patterns they produce.

This book details patterns of language use that can be found in the writing of adult immigrant learners of Norwegian as a second language (L2). Each study draws its data from a single corpus of texts written for a proficiency test of L2 Norwegian by learners representing 10 different first language (L1) backgrounds. The participants of the study are immigrants to Norway and the book deals with the varying levels and types of language difficulties faced by such learners from differing backgrounds. The studies examine the learners’ use of Norwegian in relation to the morphological, syntactic, lexical, semantic and pragmatic patterns they produce in their essays. Nearly all the studies in the book rely on analytical methods specifically designed to isolate the effects of the learners’ L1s on their use of L2 Norwegian, and every chapter highlights patterns that distinguish different L1 groups from one another.

Kari Tenfjord (University of Bergen), Anne Golden (University of Oslo) and Scott Jarvis (Ohio University): Preface

1. Kari Tenfjord (University of Bergen), Scott Jarvis (Ohio University) and Anne Golden (University of Oslo): Introduction

2. Scott Jarvis (Ohio University): Transfer: An Overview with an Expanded Scope

3. Ann-Kristin Helland Gujord (University of Bergen): The “Perfect Candidate” for Transfer: A Discussion of L1 Influence in L2 Acquisition of Tense-Aspect Morphology

4. Oliwia Szymańska (SWPS Warsaw University of Social Sciences and Humanities): On how Polish Learners of Norwegian Render Spatial Prepositions in L2: A Corpus-Based Study of i and på

5. Marta Olga Janik (SWPS Warsaw University of Social Sciences and Humanities): Positive and Negative Transfer in the L2 Adjective Inflection of English, German and Polish Speaking Learners of L2 Norwegian

6. Silje Ragnhildstveit (Western Norway University of Applied Sciences): Gender Assignment and L1 Transfer in Norwegian Second Language Learners’ Written Performance

7. Kari Tenfjord (University of Bergen) and Torodd Kinn (University of Bergen): Stranded or Lost? Preposition Stranding in Norwegian Learner Languages

8. Anne Golden (University of Oslo): Emotions Negotiated in L2 Texts: A Corpus Study of Written Production by Adult Learners on a Norwegian Test

9. Anne Golden (University of Oslo), Lars Anders Kulbrandstad (Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences) and Kari Tenfjord (University of Bergen): Evaluation of Texts in Tests: Or, Where is the Dog Buried?