Mind the Gap: English L2 Learners of Russian and the Null Possessive Pronoun

Abstract

This article compares the usage patterns of possessive pronouns in contemporary English and Russian prose, by analyzing two original language texts and in their translations into the other language. The cross linguistic research yields both quantitative and qualitative data about the usage of Russian’s three possessive structures in narratives (ø [i.e., the null possessive], свой, and the personal possessive pronouns). This information is in turn applied to questions of L2 teaching and learning of these structures, hypothesizing a likely acquisition order for свой and making suggestions for classroom practice.