science

Interface hypothesis

Interface hypothesis is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Interface hypothesis rather than just read about it. In short: The interface hypothesis in adult second language acquisition is an attempt to explain non-target-like linguistic behavior that persists even among highly advanced speakers. The hypothesis was first put forward by Antonella Sorace.

Key takeaways

Interface hypothesis belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Interface hypothesis to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Interface hypothesis from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The interface hypothesis in adult second language acquisition is an attempt to explain non-target-like linguistic behavior that persists even among highly advanced speakers. The hypothesis was first put forward by Antonella Sorace. The hypothesis posits that for adult second language learners, acquiring grammatical properties within a given linguistic area, such as phonology, syntax, or semantics, should not be problematic. Interfacing between those modules, such as communicating between the syntax and semantic systems, should likewise be feasible. However, grammatical operations where the speaker is required to interface between an internal component of the grammar, and an external component, such as pragmatics or discourse information, will prove to be very difficult, and will not be acquired completely by the second language learner, even at very advanced levels. Examples of phenomena argued to be influenced by the interface hypothesis include use of overt vs. null subjects, as well as use of subject placement before or after the verb to mark focus vs. using prosody, in languages like Italian by native English speakers.

Further reading Sorace, A. (2011). Pinning down the concept of “interface” in bilingualism. Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism, 1(1), 1-33. [1] Sorace, A. and Filiaci, F. (2006). Anaphora resolution in near-native speakers of Italian. Second Language Research: 339-368. Tsimpli, I.M. and Sorace, A. (2006). Differentiating Interfaces: L2 performance in syntax-semantics and syntax-discourse phenomena. BUCLD Proceedings 30: 653-664. Sorace, A. (2003). Near-Nativeness. In M. Long and C. Doughty (eds.), Handbook of Second Language Acquisition, 130-152. Oxford: Blackwell.

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Interface hypothesis

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Interface hypothesis claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Interface hypothesis before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Interface hypothesis ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Interface hypothesis

In research: Interface hypothesis appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Interface hypothesis in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Interface hypothesis is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Language acquisition stubs, Second-language acquisition, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Interface hypothesis outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Interface hypothesis in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Interface hypothesis means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Interface hypothesis out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Interface hypothesis in simple terms?

Why does Interface hypothesis matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Interface hypothesis?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Interface hypothesis.