The Linguistic Structure of L2 Private Speech

In Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, private speech, defined as speech directed to the self, mediates and regulates our relationship with others and ourselves. Through private speech, we exercise control over our elementary brain functions. Private speech has received considerable attention in L1 acquisition literature, but its treatment in L2 learning context is relatively new. Most of the studies on L2 private speech have focused on identifying and describing its instances, different manifestations, and roles in L2 learning. Its linguistic properties, however, have not been paid due attention. This article studies the linguistic structure of L2 private speech. 24 samples of L2 private speech were analyzed for the elliptical properties, the distribution of utterance types, and the proportion of complete sentences and fragments. The results indicated that L2 private speech contained a lot of ellipses, which 92 % of the utterances were statements, and that about 49 % of the utterances were fragments rather than complete grammatical sentences. The regulatory function of private speech implies that most of the utterances should assume imperative structure rather than statement. One possible explanation for the higher frequency of statements in L2 private speech, as indicated by the results of the present study, is that L2 learners probably use private speech as a tool for practicing and internalizing L2 structures rather than regulating behavior, in contrast with L1 acquisition