Interlanguage features of learners of English as a second language: from a multi-dimensional perspective

This study examined syntactic features in the interlanguage of learners of English as a second language (ESL) via tasks of conversation and free essay-writing. Data were collected from sixty international students of different first language backgrounds at the Monash University English Language Centre and examined with regard to language style, typological universal and language transfer. Results showed that interlanguage did vary in tandem with style in various syntactic aspects, that the typological universal (the Accessibility Hierarchy) was supported by the data, but that language transfer did not seem to play an important part in the use of topic-comment structure. The findings of the study suggest that examination from a multi-dimensional perspective provides a richer picture of English interlanguage features under investigation.