EXPLAINING LEXICAL ATTRITION AND BORROWING IN TERMS OF MARKEDNESS THEORY

The present paper aims to investigate the applicability of markedness theory as suggested by Lyons (1996) and Chomsky (Cook 1996) to research into borrowing transfer. In an attempt to assess the theory's explanatory potential, it discusses the problems faced by researchers who use the concept of markedness to account for cases of L2-L1 transfer in the lexical domain. Since the criteria laid down by the theory often refer to independent phenomena and lack precision to boot, the resultant analysis of findings tends to show bias, which seriously undermines its reliability.