Colored word order to facilitate l2 and l3 syntactic intuitions in basque: A longitudinal study

Research shows the use of learners’ L1 enables and channels the acquisition of L2/L3, for which Word Order serves as a canvas for learners to build the linguistic knowledge of any target language upon. This study tests the linguistic intuitions of participants in Basque with transitive constructions which involve full use of word order and morphological patterns necessary to test how participants elaborate their intuitions. Participants are newly-arrived migrants with no previous experience with Basque. Data obtained out of three tests —Comprehension Test, Production Test, and Grammaticality Judgment Test— shows that the layout and distribution of word order(s) and all functional and lexical categories as colored cutouts representing syntactic aspects of L1 and L2/L3 enables learners’ active manipulation of these different elements crosslinguistically, allowing them to build up their own syntactic knowledge comparatively with greater cognitive and syntactic efficiency, scarce errors, and accomplishing significantly higher motivational rates than in traditional settings. As colored cutouts act as visual enhancers of morphosyntactic patterns boosting cognitive efficiency, patterns become easier to internalize and higher motivation levels appear as frustration is reduced. Finally, perceived similarity between Basque as L2 or L3 and the participants’ L1 plays a key role, for which colored patterns have the role of facilitating the participants’ predictions with English as a filter, increasing metalinguistic awareness and competence.