Ontogeny Phylogeny Model (OPM)

All the above clearly demonstrates that interlanguage phonology is governed by the following three components: L1, L2, and universal principles (markedness).

Although all these factors influence the productions of learners, the role of each may be different at different stages of interlanguage development. The Ontogeny Phylogeny Model (hereafter OPM) proposed by Major (2001) deals with just that and states that in the earlier stages of L2 acquisition, L1 interference is the dominant factor; the role of universals is minimal. Gradually, the influence of L2 and universals increases, and the role of L1 decreases. In later stages of acquisition, the only element on the rise is the influence of L2, with concurrent decline of the role of L1 and universals, as shown in figure 1.

Although this general account may be sufficient for the normal phenomena, Major carefully points out that the proportions of the three components will vary, depending on the phenomena under scrutiny. For example, in the similar phenomena, L2 increases in a slower fashion than above and the effects of L1 also decrease slowly. The increase and later decrease of universals are slower as well. To give an example for a similar phenomenon, we can think of the relationship between alveolar stops of English /t, d/ and their slightly fronted counterparts, dental stops in Spanish and Portuguese. Since such minimal distinctions are less likely to be noticed by the learner, a Spanish speaker would be likely to retain the L1 interference longer here in his or her attempts at the target English alveolar stops than, let us say, for his or her substitutions of the alveolar trill for the English target retroflex approximant. Major’s account of the similar phenomena is given in figure 2.

In the acquisition of the marked phenomena, earlier stages are again dominated by L1 influence, and the acquisition of L2 is again slower than for the normal phenomena. However, the effects of L1 and universals are different in subsequent stages; the effects of L1 decrease faster here and we see a rapid increase in the effects of universals. In later stages, the decrease in L1 and universals is reminiscent of the similar phenomena, i.e. slow. Major shows this as given in figure 3.

Major also points out that his OPM model can account for the stylistic variation in interlanguage phonological production. Accordingly, as style becomes more formal, L2 increases, L1 decreases, and universals increase then decrease. While this statement is generally true, we are also reminded that, depending on the stage of the learner, the proportion of the different components can vary from speaker to speaker for the same style.