An Introduction to Interlanguage
Prepared by Virna S. Villanueva, Ph.D.
Learning Objectives:
At the end of the session, the students
should be able to:
• define interlanguage
• enumerate the kinds of interlanguage
• describe the key characteristics of
interlanguage
• draw some implications of
interlanguage in language teaching and
learning
What is Interlanguage?
A dynamic, evolving linguistic
system that L2 learners develop,
which blends elements of their
native language (L1) and the
target language (L2).
What are some examples illustrating interlanguage?
1. Phonological Interlanguage
• Example:
Pronouncing "think" as "tink" or "sink."
• Reason: Learners from languages
without the "th" sound may
substitute it with a familiar sound,
such as /t/ or /s/.
2. Morphological Interlanguage
Example:
"He go to school yesterday" instead of
"He went to school yesterday.“
• Reason: The learner applies a
simplified rule, omitting the past
tense marker.
3. Syntactic Interlanguage
Example:
"She don’t like it" instead of
"She doesn’t like it.“
• Reason: Overgeneralization of
negation rules without applying
subject-verb agreement.
4. Semantic Interlanguage
Example:
Using "big house" to describe a mansion,
instead of "large" or "luxurious."
Reason: Limited vocabulary in the L2
leads learners to use simpler words.
5. Pragmatic Interlanguage
Example:
Saying "Give me that!" instead of
"Could you pass me that?"
Reason: Learners may not yet
grasp the cultural norms of
politeness in the L2.
6. Code-Switching (Interlanguage
with Multilingual Influence)
Example: "I’m going to palengke to
buy some vegetables.“
• Reason: Borrowing a word
from L1 (Filipino) when the L2
equivalent ("market") is
unknown or less familiar.
7. Word Order Interlanguage
Example: "Is raining now"
instead of "It is raining now.“
• Reason: Learners might
omit the subject based
on their L1 syntax (e.g.,
Spanish or Chinese).
8. Overgeneralization of Rules
Example:
"She goed to the park" instead of
"She went to the park.“
• Reason: Applying a regular
verb rule ("-ed" for past
tense) to an irregular verb.
9. Literal Translation from L1
Example:
"I have 25 years" instead of
"I am 25 years old."
Reason:
Direct translation from
languages like Spanish
("Tengo 25 años").
10. Simplified Structures
Example:
"You like coffee?" instead of
"Do you like coffee?“
• Reason:
Simplification by omitting auxiliary verbs
during early stages of L2 learning.
Key Characteristics of Interlanguage
1. Systematicity
Learners' language use follows consistent patterns and internalized rules.
Key Characteristics of Interlanguage
3. Transfer
Influence of L1 structures on L2 usage, leading to errors or facilitation.
Why is it important to know interlanguage in
studying the principles and practices of language
teaching?
Implications for Language
Teaching
Error Analysis:
Understanding interlanguage
helps educators identify and
address persistent errors.
Implications for Language
Teaching
Tailored Instruction
Instruction can be adapted
to align with learners'
developmental stages.
Implications for
Language Teaching
Feedback Mechanisms:
Providing corrective
feedback can prevent
fossilization and promote
progression.
REFERENCES
Granger, S. (2002). A bird's-eye view of learner corpus research. In S. Granger, J. Hung, & S. Petch-Tyson (Eds.), Computer
Learner Corpora, Second Language Acquisition, and Foreign Language Teaching (pp. 3–33). John Benjamins.
Han, Z. (2004). Fossilization in adult second language acquisition. Multilingual Matters.
Selinker, L. (1972). Interlanguage. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 10(3), 209–231.
Schmidt, R. (1993). Consciousness, learning and interlanguage pragmatics. In G. Kasper & S. Blum-Kulka (Eds.),
Interlanguage Pragmatics (pp. 21–42). Oxford University Press.
Tarone, E. (1979). Interlanguage as chameleon. Language Learning, 29(1), 181–191.
