The influence of English on the teaching/learning process of German as a third language for Brazilian learners: Approaches and investigation methods

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the results of an empirical research involving adult learners of German as a foreign language with previous knowledge of English. It focuses on some of the processes related to the learning/teaching of third languages, taking into consideration that the German language is usually learned as a second foreign language, especially after English. The main questions of the research are based on positive transfer processes as well as linguistic interference observed in a group of 50 learners of German, levels A1 to B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. As for what concerns the relationship between English and German, the assumption that English exerts an important role in the learning process of German could be confirmed, being the etymological relationship between languages one of the most important elements in order to determine the occurrence of cross-linguistic influence. On the other hand, the linguistic interference that results from the coexistence of both languages in the learner's brain demands the development of a plurilingualism didactic that embraces alternative methods for the teaching/learning of German as a second foreign language in Brazil.