The latest title in the Cognitive Science and Second Language Acquisition Series presents a comprehensive review of connectionist research in second language acquisition (SLA). Second language researchers and the cognitive science community will find accessible discussions of the relevance of connectionist research to SLA. This important volume is key reading for any student or researcher interested in how second language acquisition can be better understood from a connectionist perspective.

Yasuhiro Shirai is Professor of Applied Linguistics and Cognitive Science and Eirik Borve Professor of Modern Languages in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at Case Western Reserve University, USA. He is an associate editor of First Language, and serves on several editorial boards, including Studies in Second Language Acquisition, IRAL, and Journal of Cognitive Science.

1. Overview: Connectionism and Language Acquisition Research. 2. Connectionism and SLA Research. 3. Rules vs. Connections. 4. The Critical Period Hypothesis. 5. Connectionist Accounts and Applications. 6. Conclusions and Future Directions. Recommended Reading. References.