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Chapter 5. Null objects with and without bilingualism in the Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking world

  • Lorena Sainz-Maza Lecanda and Scott A. Schwenter
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Abstract

Null anaphoric direct objects (ADOs) have received increasing scholarly attention over the last 10–15 years in Spanish and Portuguese (e.g.Choi 2000;Gómez Seibane 2011,2013; Reig 2008,2009;Schwenter & Silva 2003;Schwenter 2014). We synthesize this research and indicate some points of connection and divergence across the two languages as well as the language of bilinguals and monolinguals. Our findings indicate that Animacy, Definiteness and Specificity features condition variable ADO systems regardless of the language spoken or the extralinguistic mechanisms involved in their emergence. These results, we propose, are not coincidental or subject to language- or construction-specific parameters. Instead, they are widespread (perhaps universal) tendencies that are sustainable across languages and diverse linguistic phenomena (e.g. non-anaphoric DOM systems).

Abstract

Null anaphoric direct objects (ADOs) have received increasing scholarly attention over the last 10–15 years in Spanish and Portuguese (e.g.Choi 2000;Gómez Seibane 2011,2013; Reig 2008,2009;Schwenter & Silva 2003;Schwenter 2014). We synthesize this research and indicate some points of connection and divergence across the two languages as well as the language of bilinguals and monolinguals. Our findings indicate that Animacy, Definiteness and Specificity features condition variable ADO systems regardless of the language spoken or the extralinguistic mechanisms involved in their emergence. These results, we propose, are not coincidental or subject to language- or construction-specific parameters. Instead, they are widespread (perhaps universal) tendencies that are sustainable across languages and diverse linguistic phenomena (e.g. non-anaphoric DOM systems).

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