Default Morphology in Second Language Spanish
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Corrine McCarthy
Abstract
Morphological variability is a persistent and systematic phenomenon whose source is the subject of current debate in second language theory. In this paper, I argue that variability is not equivalent to missing inflection, as defaults are typically incorrectly inflected for tense and person-number agreement. Data from the spontaneous production of 11 advanced and intermediate speakers of Spanish show that nonfinite defaults are rare, contrary to the expectations of the Missing Surface Inflection Hypothesis. Furthermore, default morphology is systematic: 3rd person acts as a default in non-3rd contexts, present-tense in past contexts, and singular in plural contexts—the reverse of these does not occur. I propose an underspecification-based theory, coupled with independently-derived markedness criteria, that predicts the morphemes that are adopted as defaults.
Abstract
Morphological variability is a persistent and systematic phenomenon whose source is the subject of current debate in second language theory. In this paper, I argue that variability is not equivalent to missing inflection, as defaults are typically incorrectly inflected for tense and person-number agreement. Data from the spontaneous production of 11 advanced and intermediate speakers of Spanish show that nonfinite defaults are rare, contrary to the expectations of the Missing Surface Inflection Hypothesis. Furthermore, default morphology is systematic: 3rd person acts as a default in non-3rd contexts, present-tense in past contexts, and singular in plural contexts—the reverse of these does not occur. I propose an underspecification-based theory, coupled with independently-derived markedness criteria, that predicts the morphemes that are adopted as defaults.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Introduction ix
- A Polarity-Sensitive Disjunction 1
- Taking a Closer Look at Romance VN Compounds 13
- Beyond Descriptivism 27
- Do Subjects Have a Place in Spanish? 51
- On the Conceptual Role of Number 67
- The Diachronic Development of a French Indefinite Pronoun 83
- A Syntactic Analysis of Italian Deverbal-Nouns 97
- V-N Compounds In Italian 113
- A Reinterpretation of Quirky Subjects and Related Phenomena in Spanish 127
- Cognitive Constraints on Assertion Scope 143
- Avant que - or Avant de -Clauses 155
- Null Directional Prepositions in Romanian and Spanish 169
- A Unified Account for the Additive and the Scalar Uses of Italian Neppure 187
- Default Morphology in Second Language Spanish 201
- Early Object Omission in Child French and English 213
- Agreement Paradigms Across Moods and Tenses 229
- Italian Volerci 247
- Restructuring of Reverse Psychological Predicate 263
- Subject Index 279
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Introduction ix
- A Polarity-Sensitive Disjunction 1
- Taking a Closer Look at Romance VN Compounds 13
- Beyond Descriptivism 27
- Do Subjects Have a Place in Spanish? 51
- On the Conceptual Role of Number 67
- The Diachronic Development of a French Indefinite Pronoun 83
- A Syntactic Analysis of Italian Deverbal-Nouns 97
- V-N Compounds In Italian 113
- A Reinterpretation of Quirky Subjects and Related Phenomena in Spanish 127
- Cognitive Constraints on Assertion Scope 143
- Avant que - or Avant de -Clauses 155
- Null Directional Prepositions in Romanian and Spanish 169
- A Unified Account for the Additive and the Scalar Uses of Italian Neppure 187
- Default Morphology in Second Language Spanish 201
- Early Object Omission in Child French and English 213
- Agreement Paradigms Across Moods and Tenses 229
- Italian Volerci 247
- Restructuring of Reverse Psychological Predicate 263
- Subject Index 279
