Home Linguistics & Semiotics Chapter 9. The development of tense and aspect morphology in child and adult heritage speakers
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Chapter 9. The development of tense and aspect morphology in child and adult heritage speakers

  • Alejandro Cuza , Rocío Pérez-Tattam , Elizabeth Barajas , Lauren Miller and Claudia Sadowski
View more publications by John Benjamins Publishing Company
To Publisher Page
Innovative Research and Practices in Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism
This chapter is in the book Innovative Research and Practices in Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism

Abstract

This cross-sectional study examines the production of tense and aspect morphology in child and adult heritage Spanish, with the view of informing the development of pedagogical interventions in Spanish language for child and adult heritage Spanish speakers. We compare natural production data from Spanish/English bilingual speakers with monolingual children and adults matched by age. Results show a preference for the production of the preterite as opposed to the imperfect among the older bilingual children, compared to younger children and adults, suggesting L1 attrition in the life span. We argue that the overproduction of preterite tense might be due to semantic transfer from English and morphosemantic restructuring of the aspectual system. The imperfect tense remains underdeveloped across all age groups in the bilingual population, and competes with present tense in adulthood, suggesting incomplete development. Based on these results, we discuss important pedagogical implications for the teaching of aspectual distinctions in heritage Spanish. Finally, we conclude that both L1 attrition and incomplete acquisition play a fundamental role in heritage language development, depending on the type of linguistic knowledge, which has an impact on the Spanish language teaching practices to be adopted for child and adult heritage speakers.

Abstract

This cross-sectional study examines the production of tense and aspect morphology in child and adult heritage Spanish, with the view of informing the development of pedagogical interventions in Spanish language for child and adult heritage Spanish speakers. We compare natural production data from Spanish/English bilingual speakers with monolingual children and adults matched by age. Results show a preference for the production of the preterite as opposed to the imperfect among the older bilingual children, compared to younger children and adults, suggesting L1 attrition in the life span. We argue that the overproduction of preterite tense might be due to semantic transfer from English and morphosemantic restructuring of the aspectual system. The imperfect tense remains underdeveloped across all age groups in the bilingual population, and competes with present tense in adulthood, suggesting incomplete development. Based on these results, we discuss important pedagogical implications for the teaching of aspectual distinctions in heritage Spanish. Finally, we conclude that both L1 attrition and incomplete acquisition play a fundamental role in heritage language development, depending on the type of linguistic knowledge, which has an impact on the Spanish language teaching practices to be adopted for child and adult heritage speakers.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgments ix
  4. Preface xi
  5. Part I. Linguistic perspectives and implications for L2 pedagogy
  6. Chapter 1. Mental representation and skill in instructed SLA 3
  7. Chapter 2. Input and output in SLA 23
  8. Chapter 3. Interaction and the Noun Phrase Accessibility Hierarchy 43
  9. Chapter 4. Generative approaches and the competing systems hypothesis 63
  10. Chapter 5. Why theory and research are important for the practice of teaching 85
  11. Chapter 6. Input-based incremental vocabulary instruction for the L2 classroom 107
  12. Chapter 7. Experimentalized CALL for adult second language learners 139
  13. Chapter 8. Accounting for variability in L2 data 165
  14. Chapter 9. The development of tense and aspect morphology in child and adult heritage speakers 193
  15. Part II. Cognitive perspectives and implications for L2 pedagogy
  16. Chapter 10. Control and representation in bilingualism 223
  17. Chapter 11. Language selection, control, and conceptual-lexical development in bilinguals and multilinguals 241
  18. Chapter 12. Lexical access in bilinguals and second language learners 267
  19. Chapter 13. Cognitive foundations of crosslinguistic influence 287
  20. Part III. Concluding remarks
  21. Chapter 14. Ideas for the practice of instructed SLA and their rationale 311
  22. About the editor 329
  23. About the contributors 331
  24. Index 333
https://doi.org/10.1075/lllt.38.12cuz

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgments ix
  4. Preface xi
  5. Part I. Linguistic perspectives and implications for L2 pedagogy
  6. Chapter 1. Mental representation and skill in instructed SLA 3
  7. Chapter 2. Input and output in SLA 23
  8. Chapter 3. Interaction and the Noun Phrase Accessibility Hierarchy 43
  9. Chapter 4. Generative approaches and the competing systems hypothesis 63
  10. Chapter 5. Why theory and research are important for the practice of teaching 85
  11. Chapter 6. Input-based incremental vocabulary instruction for the L2 classroom 107
  12. Chapter 7. Experimentalized CALL for adult second language learners 139
  13. Chapter 8. Accounting for variability in L2 data 165
  14. Chapter 9. The development of tense and aspect morphology in child and adult heritage speakers 193
  15. Part II. Cognitive perspectives and implications for L2 pedagogy
  16. Chapter 10. Control and representation in bilingualism 223
  17. Chapter 11. Language selection, control, and conceptual-lexical development in bilinguals and multilinguals 241
  18. Chapter 12. Lexical access in bilinguals and second language learners 267
  19. Chapter 13. Cognitive foundations of crosslinguistic influence 287
  20. Part III. Concluding remarks
  21. Chapter 14. Ideas for the practice of instructed SLA and their rationale 311
  22. About the editor 329
  23. About the contributors 331
  24. Index 333
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2026 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 2.3.2026 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1075/lllt.38.12cuz/html
Scroll to top button