(Morpho)phonological aspects in L2 English plural Learning.

This paper addresses the issue of intra-personal variability in second Language development, stating that non linear patterns shown by plural Learning might also depend on the phonotactic structure of the second Language (English) and on the phonotactic preferences of the first Language (Italian), which derive preferred clusters in word-final position. Namely, morphological (in)accuracy might depend on phonotactics at the word level. More specifically, the main focus will be on morphonotactics, which is the field of interaction between morphology and phonology, i.e. on the shape o morpheme combinations, when they signal morpheme boundaries in plural markings, as in ring-s. The data on plural Learning show that learners omission of plural markers in English second Language is the result of reduction of word-final bimorphemic clusters. Learners, instead, tend to retain the bimorphemic clusters that have (even rare) monomorphemic opponents in English (/ks/,, /ts/,, /ps/). The retained elements in a cluster are those where the distance inn terms of manner,, place of articulation and voicing (according to the Net Auditory Distance) is bigger and serves better perception.