L3 acquisition of German adjectival inflection: A generative account

Studies testing the knowledge of syntactic properties have resulted in two potentially contrasting proposals in relation to third language acquisition (TLA); the Cumulative Enhancement Model (Flynn et al., 2004), which proposes that previously learned languages will positively affect the acquisition of a third language (L3); and the ‘second language (L2) status factor’ hypothesis (Bardel and Falk, 2007), which proposes that the primacy of the L2 can block the potential positive effects that may be transferable from the first language (L1). This article attempts to extend these hypotheses to the domain of morphosyntax, in relation to the TLA of the properties of grammatical number and gender concord marking on German attributive adjectives; these properties not present in the L1 of Japanese, or the L2 of English. Two further factors are of interest in the current study; first, the performance of the learners according to their L3 and their L2 proficiency levels, a variable not discussed in the above-mentioned studies; and, second, the role that the type of task has on the performance of these learners. Three groups of Japanese native speakers (matched for proficiency within each German group), but with differing English proficiencies, completed a carefully balanced gap-filling task, together with two oral elicitation tasks in the form of games; both of these elicited tokens of adjectival inflection. Initial results offer partial support for weaker versions of the two hypotheses mentioned above. However, neither of the L3 models tested can fully account for the results obtained, which are more consistent with a feature-based account of the organization of grammar in the domain of morphosyntax, such as that of Distributed Morphology (DM) (Halle and Marantz, 1993). DM is a model for language acquisition which — coupled with a view that the Subset Principle proposed by this account is not observed by non-primary language learners — has recently been proposed to explain the optionality observed in L2 learners’ production (Hawkins et al., 2006). The data presented here suggest that it could be extended to L3 learners’ production. </jats:p

Traveling wire electrochemical discharge machining (TW-ECDM) of quartz using zinc coated brass wire: investigations on material removal rate and kerf width characteristics

In this era, advanced non-conducting materials are gaining importance due to their superior properties. However, it is difficult to micro-machine these materials inefficiency and also economically still persists with currently used advanced non-traditional machining processes. Non-traditional machining processes are typically unfeasible for quartz material owing to its properties such as high strength, high melting point, high temperature-resistance, chemical stability and brittleness. Traveling wire electrochemical discharge machining (TW-ECDM) process is newly developed non-traditional machining process and has great potential for machining of quartz ceramics. Coated wire has been used to reduce the wire breakage and improves the efficiency. The input important input parameters have been selected for this process as applied voltage, electrolyte concentration and wire speed. Taguchi robust design was perform to identify the optimal parametric conditions using L9�orthogonal array. Signal to noise (S/N) ratio and ANOVA were used to find the optimal parametric conditions and relative contribution of the input parameters respectively. Also, the surface finish was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). First time, coated wire with diameter of 0.15�mm has been used during TW-ECDM process. These obtained results present in this article will provide new guidelines to the micro-manufacturers, engineers and researchers.by Ankit D. Oza, Abhishek Kumar, Vishvesh Badheka and Amit Aror