ERIC Number: EJ910363
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Jun
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0018-2133
EISSN: N/A
On the L1 Attrition of the Spanish Present Tense
Cuza, Alejandro
Hispania, v93 n2 p256-272 Jun 2010
This study examines the potential native language (L1) attrition of the ongoing value of the Spanish present tense among long-term Spanish immigrants. Based on the assumption of second-language (L2) transfer and proposals on the permeability of interface-conditioned structures, it is hypothesized that long-term Spanish immigrants will show difficulty with the interpretation and use of the ongoing value of the Spanish simple present due to transfer from divergent semantic values in English (L2). Results from an acceptability judgment task, a truth value judgment task, and an elicited production task show low levels of acceptance and use of present-tense forms with an ongoing meaning by the immigrant group, as well as significantly higher use of the progressive form. It is argued that transfer from English selectional properties has reduced the range of lexical selection of the Spanish present, leading to a convergence toward the most restrictive L2 configuration. (Contains 5 tables, 2 figures and 1 note.)
Descriptors: Semantics, Syntax, Immigrants, Native Language, Language Skill Attrition, Spanish, Morphemes, Second Language Learning, English (Second Language), Transfer of Training, Task Analysis, Native Speakers, Value Judgment
American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, Inc. 900 Ladd Road, Walled Lake, MI 48390. Tel: 248-960-2180; Fax: 248-960-9570; e-mail: AATSPoffice@aatsp.org; Web site: http://www.aatsp.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A