L'appropriation de la liaison variable en français: quelles différences en perception et en production chez les enfants L1 et les adultes L2?

This article reports on a comparative study of the acquisition of the variable liaison in French as a first (L1) and second – or more – language (L2). Although such a comparison encounters a number of difficulties (e.g. matching learners in terms of language exposure, age and cognitive skills), it allows some differences and similarities between L1 and L2 learners to emerge. This study is based on the analysis of experimental tasks performed by native French-speaking children aged 2 to 6, and by adult Korean learners of French as a Foreign Language. Results show that, for both L1 and L2 learners, the acquisition of categorical liaison precedes variable liaison. However, concerning variable liaison, L2 learners increase the realised variant by decreasing the non-realised variant, while L1 learners augment the production of both variants. Moreover, when L2 learners are matched individually to L1 learners based on the results of a production task, they differ in their perception of variable liaison in a judgment task. We conclude with a discussion in terms of pedagogical implications to L2 learners.