Reconsidering the Role of Interaction and Input in Second Language Acquisition

Abstract

This article reviews the findings of research on second language (L2) interaction from the perspective of L2 syntactic development. Previous studies provide us with a broad view of the grammatical nature of interaction. However, they have not revealed how interaction affects grammatical development, nor have they considered the specific relation between interactional structure and grammatical structure. I argue that in order to better understand the role of negotiated interaction in L2 syntactic development, it is necessary to examine the specific grammatical structures in interaction guided by the criteria of relevance, availability, accessibility, and effect. By examining interaction from a more focused perspective, that is, Universal Grammar triggers, one can ask precise questions about the grammatical characteristics of interaction and can make very specific recommendations about further study. More fine‐tuned grammatical measures are needed to understand the grammatical characteristics of interaction and their effects on L2 syntactic development.