Characteristics of complex systems germane to Chaos/Complexity theory and SLA

Characteristics of

complex systems

Complex, nonlinear systems and FLA Complex, nonlinear systems and

SLA

Dynamic Languages can be described as a collection

of static units which require active process

while using. Any time a language is used, it

changes. Languages grow either

diachronically or synchronically

Learners' interlanguage have an

ever-changing character

Complex Language is complex and composed of

different and interdependent subsystems,

each interacting with each other

SLA is complex because a multitude

of interacting are involved in SLA

Non linear New forms enter and leave language in a

non additive way.

IL is full of peaks and valleys. In

order to learn adjectives, learners do

not need to learn noun first.

Chaotic Like any other complex nonlinear systems,

language has the potential to enter in to

disorder; however this disorder is

temporary.

According to Larsen-Freeman, the IL

system is convulsed in to chaos. (e.g.

after a lot of exposure to regular,

irregular verbs, learners will master

it. However, in this stage they may

overgeneralize ed to the end of

regular tense, i.e. language enter in

to a disorder which is not permanent)

Unpredictable New forms enter and leave language in a

non predictable way. We can only realize

the change of language after its occurrence.

Il is changing constantly. It is not

clear which element will be acquired

next.

Sensitive to initial

condition

UG is the initial condition of human

language which contains certain principles.

Actually, it makes the shape of human

languages.

UG is present in IL; however there

are different views on the way that

such an initial condition exists, e.g.

one view believe that UG is

available for L2 in the same way that

is available for L1.

Open Language is an open system which receives

new input from the technical world for

instance and as a result does not tend to

entropy.

IL is open because the target is

always moving.

Self organizing Input from the outer world is an important

factor in structuring and restructuring of the

language.

While learners receive new input, the

organization of language changes.

Language, constantly, recognizes

and restructures itself to obtain

equilibrium. It moves from chaos to

order.

Feed back

sensitive

Each language has a feedback mechanism

in it. Positive feedback from the input

causes the language to develop while

negative feedback impedes the process of

language acquisition.

Learner's IL is highly affected by the

feedback they receive from the

environment.

Adoptive Language, actively, tries to select from a

mass of input, what is advantages to its

development.

While learning a language, learners

are exposed to a large amount of

input. IL responds actively to this

input by selecting those elements

which are needed for self organizing.

Strange attractors UG is a grammatical path that allows the

sentences as infinite variations to be

produced in a finite grammar space.

Learners' IL is affected by their L1

strange attractors rather than the TL's

strange attractors (e.g. pronunciation

of English as a TL is affected by

Turkish as an L)

fractal shape Language pattern is a fractal and nested

pattern that allows languages to store a

large number of information in to a small

space.

Again like L1 shape, IL's shape is a

fractal and nested pattern.

Characteristics of complex systems germane to Chaos/Complexity theory and SLA