The Use of Elicited Imitation in Search of an Interim French Grammar¹

The study was an initial attempt to tap the French language competence of two groups of English‐speaking pupils who are being educated via French. Third and fifth grade English‐speaking pupils were compared with French‐speaking children of the same age using a sentence repetition task constructed to test control of selected French linguistic features. It was hypothesized that the English speakers would have a different internalized grammar of French than would French speakers; furthermore, that the different internal grammars would be reflected by differences in task performance. The results of the study can best be explained with reference to two factors: an “internalized grammar” factor as was hypothesized; and a memory factor attributable to familiarity with, and exposure to, French.