Which term describes the influence of a learner's first language knowledge on the second language?

• A. Transfer
• B. Interference
• C. Fossilization
• D. Interlanguage

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is how a learner's first language affects the second language. This is described by transfer—the influence of L1 knowledge on L2, which can show up in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary as learners apply familiar L1 patterns to the new language. Transfer can be helpful when L1 structures align with L2 (positive transfer) or problematic when they don’t (negative transfer). In many contexts, what people call interference is simply negative transfer, but the broader term is transfer itself. Other terms describe different concepts: fossilization is when incorrect forms become fixed and unchangeable; interlanguage is the learner's evolving internal system as they move toward the L2, shaped by multiple factors including L1 but not specifically the L1’s influence. Therefore, transfer is the best term for the influence of first language knowledge on the second language.