NOT ALL NOUNS ARE ACQUIRED EN MASSE: COUNTABILITY AND (IN)DEFINITENESS IN SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING OF ENGLISH ARTICLES
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Abstract
This study investigates how L1-Slavic/L2 English learners (N=41) acquire article use across contexts defined by noun type (count vs. mass) and (in)definiteness (definite vs. indefinite). Using an online comprehension task with four conditions (Count–A, Count–The, Mass–Null, Mass–The), we analyze accuracy and error patterns across three proficiency levels (native-like, advanced, intermediate). Results show that mass nouns pose greater challenges than count nouns. Learners frequently overgeneralize a to mass noun contexts and make substitution errors, revealing persistent issues with noun categorization. Statistical analyses confirm significant effects of noun type, condition, and proficiency. Our findings contribute to growing research on article acquisition and the semantics of noun classification.
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