JELT_V1_N3_A1 Transfer Across Second Language Acquisition Theories Parisa Daftarifard Servat Shirkhani Journal on English Language Teaching 2249 – 0752 1 3 1 6 Transfer, Debilitative Effect, Enhancive Effect, Chaos/ Complex System Transfer has been discussed from different points of view since the advent of Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis [13], [8]. Mishina- Mori [19] has defied transfer as merging grammatical properties from one language to another. The effect of transfer from a first language (L1) to a second language (L2) or a third language (L3) has been viewed differently in different theories of Second Language Acquisition (SLA). A number of these theories view transfer as having no role, some others as having debilitative effects and still others as having enhancive effects on L2 or L3 learning. This article has reviewed these different views of SLA theories toward transfer and claims that though these theories sound incommensurable in this regard, they can be considered as one tune in a complex dynamic but chaotic system of SLA known as Chaos/ Complex System. July - September 2011 Copyright © 2011 i-manager publications. All rights reserved. i-manager Publications http://www.imanagerpublications.com/Article.aspx?ArticleId=1590