L’apprendimento linguistico tra parametri e transfer

This article investigates the relation between L1 and L2 in the light of the transfer phenomena. More precisely a revision of the UG notion and parameter is proposed on the basis of the mentalist model fixed in the bio-linguistic program in some recent works by Chomsky. The idea being discussed here is that parameterization is a phenomenon associated to the externalization of linguistic expressions in terms of lexical and morpho-syntactic properties, built on the basis of the basic properties of language. The notion of language coincides with a specialized cognitive capability, i.e. the combinatory mechanism (Merge), whereas its application implies the interaction with the external interpretive systems, namely sensory-motor and conceptual-intentional systems. As a consequence, transfer, as depending on the morpho-lexical organization of languages, is a mechanism that does not call into question the cognitive nature of language, but, on the contrary, we have to look at transfer as the natural solution for the acquisition of L2.