ABSTRACT

The study of second language acquisition (SLA) as a scientific discipline began in the late 1960s, with the first milestone publication being Corder pre-casting a system view on learner language—a view solidified subsequently in Selinker. The study of SLA concerns itself with the process, the outcome, the underlying mechanism, and the conditions pertinent to the learning of a non-primary language, be it a second, third, and so on. The field of SLA has grown by leaps and bounds, resulting in both a rich spectrum of theoretical insights and numerous empirical findings. According to B. VanPatten and J. Williams, attempt to present theories in SLA, a theory must have three functions: it explains, unites, and predicts facts. The Concept-Oriented Approach assumes a very different perspective on SLA than Universal Grammar Theory in SLA. The chapter also provides the theoretical outlook of the discipline of SLA and concludes with a brief discussion of the status of research on SLA of Chinese.