ABSTRACT
Why do individuals differ so much in second language (L2) attainment success? After all, every healthy human being in an intact social environment masters a first language to a degree of fluency that, in other skill domains, would be recognized as elite or near elite levels (we can exclude here the special accomplishments of outstanding writers, actors, orators, etc.). In temis of their high levels of accuracy, effortlessness, rapidity, situational flexibility, and creativity, virtually all first language speakers are elite performers; in fact, we all seem to be child prodigies when it comes to acquiring our first language. Yet, a comparable level of performance in L2 is usually considered exceptional and worthy of special note. This is because most L2 learners normally attain levels that are noticeably far below that of their first language. Certainly, if we use first language acquisition as a standard for comparison, then the range of individual differences we typically observe in L2 achievement stands in dramatic contrast. How then do we account for the interindividual variability specific to L2 acquisition?
