L1 interference

[/ɛl wʌn ˌɪntərˈfɪrəns/]
noun
interferência da língua materna
1. The negative influence of a learner's first language on their acquisition and use of a second language, resulting in errors or non-native patterns
The student's L1 interference was evident when she used Portuguese word order in her English sentences.
A interferência da língua materna foi evidente quando o aluno usou a ordem das palavras do português em suas frases em inglês.
2. Linguistic phenomena where native language structures, phonemes, or grammatical rules are incorrectly transferred to the target language
Common L1 interference for Brazilian Portuguese speakers learning English includes false cognates and different stress patterns.
A interferência comum da língua materna para falantes de português brasileiro aprendendo inglês inclui falsos cognatos e padrões de acentuação diferentes.
This is primarily an academic and pedagogical term used in linguistics and language education contexts. It's widely discussed in Brazil's English language teaching community and is particularly relevant when teaching English to Portuguese speakers, as the phonological and grammatical differences between Portuguese and English frequently produce observable L1 interference patterns.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
language transfernative language interferencefirst language transfercross-linguistic influence
Antonyms / Antônimos
L2 acquisitionnative-like proficiencytarget language dominance

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
interferência da língua materna
Standard academic term used in Brazilian universities and language institutes
São Paulo
influência da L1
Commonly used in São Paulo's educational and linguistic research contexts
Portugal
interferência da língua de partida
Portuguese European variation using 'língua de partida' (source language)
United States
L1 interference
Technical term used in American SLA (Second Language Acquisition) research and ESL instruction

Related Words

interlanguagefossilizationcode-switchinglanguage transfersecond language acquisitioncontrastive analysiserror analysis

Related Idioms & Phrases

carry over from one's native language
native language bleeding through
mother tongue influence
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