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JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH

INTER GENERATIONAL SECOND LANGUAGE ATTRITION WITHIN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS -
CASE STUDY

SYLWIA STACHURSKA

Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa, Waszyngtona 4/8, 42-
200 Czestochowa, Poland,
email:

sylwia_stachurska@op.pl

____________________________________________________

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to present the results of an experiment
investigating a decline in second-language skills of University students. The paper
consists of five parts. The first section defines a definition and different types of
language attrition. The following part presents a model of the education in the Jan
Dlugosz University in Czestochowa. The third part focuses on the essential research
categories used in the experiment, various solutions in teaching English for academic
purposes. The last but not least part presents the hypotheses and the applied
methodology as well as detailed description of the investigation. The author reveals here
the results of the research. Conclusions from the experiment and suggestions for
possible follow-up investigations of this issue is found in the final part of this paper.

Keywords: second language attrition, motivation, memory

1 Introduction

Each student is eagerly waiting for a holiday break and a rest
from university classes, including a foreign language course. Such
a gap in the second language learning during a holiday period is
not a favourable solution since acquiring any language requires
regularity. Considering ideal situation students should not only
continue to learn a foreign language in the summer but also try to
make up for knowledge deficiencies and in consequence feel
confident in the new academic year. The holiday break in learning
a foreign language will not cause a sudden oblivion but it may be
a source of lack of our language skills development. Many
researchers maintain that any unused language is rusty and
eventually dies. The fact that within a year we gathered some
knowledge does not mean that one can effectively use it. The
vocabulary is one thing and the practical ability to use it is
another. Over three-month summer break from language practice
for university students is questionable. Different ways of
overcoming this problem will be presented furthermore in this
article. At this point it is worth explaining how and why the
foreign language is forgotten. Therefore, it is essential to have a
closer look at the definition of second language attrition. The next
section determines a clarification of that issue.

1.1 Definition of second-language attrition

Second language attrition is in general perceived by many
scientists as a decrease of foreign language abilities. This may be
a result either of insufficient use of L2 or due to a domination of
another language because of changes of learner’s surrounding.

There are several definitions of e-learning ( see Schöpper-Grabe
for a theoretical description of the e-learning terminology).
Schöpper-Grabe, a German scientist draws attention to the fact
that "almost everybody who has learned a foreign language shares
the experience of forgetting the acquired language skills once the
period of formal instruction is over" (1998, p.231).

According to Köpke & Schmid second-language attrition can be
described as the "non-pathological decrease in a language that had
previously been acquired by an individual" (2004, p.5) and
defined as deficiency of learner’s abilities in the individual pase
(de Bot & Weltens, 1995).

Second language attrition is a quite new area of research since it
has been developing since the beginning of 1970s and is still
among interest of many scientists. Hansen (1999) explains that
not only linguists are involved in exploring that field since they
want to measure what is lost but also
psycholinguists and neurolinguists who are concerned with the
way L2 is forgotten and sociolinguists,

sociologists and

anthropologists ( examining why second language is lost).

Although, scientists are extensively involved in examining the
attrition of L2 for over 40 years still a lot of is unknown in

comparison to the field of second language acquisition. The next
section will exemplify different types of attrition.

1.2 Types of attrition

The theoretical foundation of the language attrition studies
derives principally from

cognitive and psychological theories.

Scientists primarily inspect the field of second language attrition
for the loss of the L1 and L2.

The first diversification that can be made is between pathological
and natural language attrition. Pathological attrition is most
frequent in acquired occlusal defects after loss of abutement
zones, and in certain congenital malocclusions. In other words the
loss is caused by a damage of the brain, an injury, age or an
illness. Nevertheless, this issue is not going to be explored any
further since the language attrition in these cases is not brought
about by natural circumstances.

Another potential division is suggested by Weltens. He distincts
inter and intra generational language attrition. ,,Inter-generational
language attrition is concerned with attrition within individuals,
whereas intra generational language attrition concentrates on the
attrition across different generations’’(Weltens, 1987, p.24). Van
Els (1986) classifies four types of attrition in terms of which
language is forgotten and in which environment is being changed.
Thus, he distinguishes:

1. loss of L1 in L1 environment, e.g. dialect loss
2. loss of L1 in L2 environment, e.g. immigrants losing

their mother tongue

3. loss of L2/FL in L1 environment, e.g. loss of foreign

languages learned at school

4. loss of L2/FL in L2 environment, e.g. aging migrants losing

their L2.

1.3 Processes of language attrition

In order to comprehend the process of language attrition better it
is necessary to get to know different stages of language attrition.
There are different theories about the occurrences of L2 attrition
phases.

Gardner (1982, p.519-520) conceives that the process of second
language attrition is classified into three stages, namely:

Stage 1: The beginning of second language learning

Stage 2: Completion of language instruction

Stage 3: Assessment of language competence

The period from first stage to second  is defined as the acquisition
time. Between stage 2 and 3 occurs incubation period (1982,
p.520). Furthermore, Gardner expresses that it is not enough to
take into account only the time  between second and third stage
to declare the existence of attrition. It is also necessary to consider
,,the duration, relative success, nature of the acquisition period
and the duration and content of the incubation phase’’ (Gardner
1982, p.520). The acquisition period is the time where ‘’language
learning or language experience takes place, mainly from the first
to the last lesson. During the incubation period, no language
training or language usage takes place and the forgetting may
begin’’(Gardner 1982, p.520). He states that when that language
learning is no longer operating, a study about language attrition
can be carried out. In order to provide an explanation of how
second L2 attrition appears it is essential to have an eye at the
dates of the examination of memory. Therefore, the next chapter
deals with this issue.

2 Theories of memory loss

First theories of  forgetting date back to late 19

century when

Ebbinghaus, German psychologist pioneered the experimental
study of memory. The empirical research about learning still

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