Il primo confronto con una norma: percezione e analisi dell'input iniziale in L2

On the background of Coseriu’s notion of norm, elaboration of native input by second language learners is considered with respect to the processes of perception, comprehension and grammatical analysis, which allow the learner to make assumptions about the target system. The controlled input of a fourteen hours long course of Polish designed within the VILLA project (Varieties of Initial Learners in Second Language Acquisition) as the norm presented to learners is discussed with respect to three major parameters: transparency and frequency of the word forms selected and modality of presentation, either with attention focalized on grammatical forms or no focalization on forms. Learners appear to be sensitive to the modalities of presentation, however the tentative adjustment to the norm as presented in the focus on form modality paradoxically results in a greater number of errors in the learners administered this type of presentation. This evidence is relevant for the processes of acquisition of the target system beyond the norm presented in the input.