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Not just algunos , but indeed unos L2ers can acquire scalar implicatures in L2 Spanish

  • David Miller , David Giancaspro , Michael Iverson , Jason Rothman and Roumyana Slabakova
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Language Acquisition Beyond Parameters
This chapter is in the book Language Acquisition Beyond Parameters

Abstract

This study examines interpretation of scalar implicatures (SI) in the L2 Spanish of native English advanced learners. Spanish is especially interesting since, unlike English, it has two indefinite determiners, unos and algunos, which ostensibly map to English some. However, each does not allow an implicature like English some. The complexity of the Spanish system is predicted to make Spanish particularly challenging. We present data from a Video Acceptability Judgment experiment where the subset – whole set distinction is applied to algunos/unos. The videos contain sets of 4 participants, in which 0, 3 or all 4 engage in an action. Test sentences are presented after the video clips in four target conditions: (a) algunos with 4 out of 4 (4/4) video, (b) algunos with 3 out of 4 (3/4) video, (c) unos with 4/4 video and (d) unos with 3/4 video. Judgments on the 4/4 video conditions, especially the algunos condition, indicate whether implicatures are projected or not. If participants are sensitive to the idiosyncratic restrictions on algunos for implicatures, one expects to find a distinction between algunos and unos in the 4/4 condition, and between 4/4 versus 3/4 conditions with algunos. Both participant groups (native speakers and advanced L2ers) perform the experiment similarly. Both groups make the two relevant distinctions to the same degree.

Abstract

This study examines interpretation of scalar implicatures (SI) in the L2 Spanish of native English advanced learners. Spanish is especially interesting since, unlike English, it has two indefinite determiners, unos and algunos, which ostensibly map to English some. However, each does not allow an implicature like English some. The complexity of the Spanish system is predicted to make Spanish particularly challenging. We present data from a Video Acceptability Judgment experiment where the subset – whole set distinction is applied to algunos/unos. The videos contain sets of 4 participants, in which 0, 3 or all 4 engage in an action. Test sentences are presented after the video clips in four target conditions: (a) algunos with 4 out of 4 (4/4) video, (b) algunos with 3 out of 4 (3/4) video, (c) unos with 4/4 video and (d) unos with 3/4 video. Judgments on the 4/4 video conditions, especially the algunos condition, indicate whether implicatures are projected or not. If participants are sensitive to the idiosyncratic restrictions on algunos for implicatures, one expects to find a distinction between algunos and unos in the 4/4 condition, and between 4/4 versus 3/4 conditions with algunos. Both participant groups (native speakers and advanced L2ers) perform the experiment similarly. Both groups make the two relevant distinctions to the same degree.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface and acknowledgements 1
  4. L2 acquisition 3
  5. Part I. Parameters and beyond
  6. Pro-drop then and now 17
  7. Reference comprehension and production in bilingual Spanish 37
  8. Part II. Features and crossroads L1/L2
  9. When masculine as default supercedes L1 transfer 73
  10. L2 knowledge of gender and number agreement in Spanish noun ellipsis 99
  11. Not just algunos , but indeed unos L2ers can acquire scalar implicatures in L2 Spanish 125
  12. Part III. Word order and complex structures
  13. Comprehension of subject and object relative clauses by second language learners of Spanish 149
  14. On the production of differential object marking and wh -question formation in native and non-native Spanish 187
  15. Part IV. Monolingual and bilingual first language acquisition
  16. In search of the perfect tense 213
  17. The acquisition of grammatical gender in L1 bilingual Spanish 237
  18. Applying computing innovations to bilingual corpus analysis 281
  19. Index 303
https://doi.org/10.1075/sibil.51.06mil

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface and acknowledgements 1
  4. L2 acquisition 3
  5. Part I. Parameters and beyond
  6. Pro-drop then and now 17
  7. Reference comprehension and production in bilingual Spanish 37
  8. Part II. Features and crossroads L1/L2
  9. When masculine as default supercedes L1 transfer 73
  10. L2 knowledge of gender and number agreement in Spanish noun ellipsis 99
  11. Not just algunos , but indeed unos L2ers can acquire scalar implicatures in L2 Spanish 125
  12. Part III. Word order and complex structures
  13. Comprehension of subject and object relative clauses by second language learners of Spanish 149
  14. On the production of differential object marking and wh -question formation in native and non-native Spanish 187
  15. Part IV. Monolingual and bilingual first language acquisition
  16. In search of the perfect tense 213
  17. The acquisition of grammatical gender in L1 bilingual Spanish 237
  18. Applying computing innovations to bilingual corpus analysis 281
  19. Index 303
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