Linguistic Theory, Universal Grammar, and Second Language Acquisition

Generative linguistic theory aims to provide a characterization of the linguistic competence of native speakers of a language and to explain how it is possible for child first language (L1) acquirers to achieve that competence. The generative perspective on second language (L2) acquisition has parallel goals, namely, to account for the nature and acquisition of interlanguage competence (see Gregg, 1996; White, 1989, 2003).