NYSTCE English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Practice Test

What can disrupt the normal order of morpheme acquisition?

1. Motivation levels

2. First language interference

3. Age of learner

4. Frequency of exposure

The correct answer is: First language interference

First language interference plays a significant role in disrupting the normal order of morpheme acquisition for language learners. When individuals are acquiring a second language, the structures, rules, and morphemes of their first language can influence how they perceive and produce the morphemes in the new language. This interference can lead to errors or delays in effectively acquiring certain morphemes, as learners may instinctively apply rules from their first language instead of fully adapting to the second language's rules. For instance, if a learner's first language has a different system of verb conjugation than the target language, they might struggle to use the appropriate morpheme for verb tenses in the second language. This interference is not just limited to vocabulary but extends to grammar, sentence structure, and pronunciation, which can all impact the timeline and success of acquiring morphemes in a new language. In contrast, while motivation levels, age of learner, and frequency of exposure can certainly affect language acquisition, they do not specifically highlight the direct influence of a learner's first language in the same way that first language interference does.