The language produced by a second language learner, which may have features of their first language and shows continual revision of internalised rules, is called what?

The language produced by a second language learner, which may have features of their first language and shows continual revision of internalised rules, is called what?

• A. Interlanguage
• B. Interference
• C. Code-switching
• D. L1 transfer

Answer: (A)

Interlanguage is the learner’s own evolving linguistic system as they acquire a second language. It sits between the first language and the target language, built from hypotheses about how the language works and continually revised as the learner receives new input and feedback. Because of this, the learner’s output often shows features from their first language, but it’s not mere interference; it’s a dynamic, rule-based system that the learner tests, adjusts, and refines over time. This ongoing revision of internalized rules is what you’re seeing when a learner produces forms that are systematic but not yet fully aligned with the target language. The other terms describe related ideas (influence from the first language, switching languages during discourse, or a specific type of transfer) but don’t capture the whole evolving learner-created system.