Second Language Acquisition: An Introductory Course .  (2 ^nd ed., 2001). By S.M. Gass & L. Selinker. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., 10 Industrial Ave., Mahwah, NJ 07430-2262. 504 pages, $39.95. Reviewed by Sally A. Marinellie, Ohio University, Athens, OH.

This book is focused on how second languages are learned. According to the authors, the information is introductory, meaning that the intended population includes undergraduate/graduate students who may have a wide variety of backgrounds (particular knowledge in language or linguistics is not necessary). Using a multidisciplinary approach, this book provides information on inter-language analysis, a historical overview of the role of the native language in second-language acquisition (SLA), the relation of SLA and linguistics with a focus on language universals, Universal Grammar and the formal syntactic approach to the study of how second languages are learned, psycholinguistic approaches to the study of SLA, child second-language acquisition, psycholinguistic approaches (including Competition and Connectionism models), the role of the lexicon in SLA, second-language learning specific to the classroom environment, and non-language influences on SLA. Although a chapter appears on child SLA, most of this book is focused on adult SLA. The authors state that the book attempts to relate SLA with approaches from sociology, psychology, education, and linguistics in a "coherent framework" to make the study of SLA accessible to a wide audience with a range of backgrounds.

The authors accomplish a fairly thorough discussion of how second languages are learned with respect to the fields of linguistics, psychology, education, and sociology. The book appears to be mainly focused on theories of how second languages are learned from a multidisciplinary perspective. Given some of the topics covered (e.g., Universal Grammar, connectionism), it does seem necessary for the reader to have some background knowledge in language and/or linguistics. Overall, this book provides minimal information for treatment and instruction. A few chapters contain information of clinical usefulness, but this is quite limited. Chapter 12, for instance, discusses non-language influences on SLA (e.g., influences of age, aptitude, motivation, personality, etc.). Chapter 3 deals mainly with first language acquisition in children, but provides little information on SLA in children. Chapter 11 deals with learning that is specific to the classroom environment, but has little useful applicable information. In summary, this book provides an overview of theories of second-language acquisition. The book provides little in terms of practitioner intervention strategies.