Can Non-natives become native-like? Perspectives on fossilization and ultimate attainment
Bill VanPatten, Texas Tech

Abstract: In this hour session, we will explore the question of whether non-natives can become native-like, and to what extent fossilization is a researchable construct. We will focus our attention on underlying competence, distinct from skill, although we will make reference to the interface between competence and skill. As part of our discussion, we will touch upon what we know about early bilinguals (i.e., bilinguals from birth) and what this reveals about having two languages in the same mind.