Aurora Bel

Reference control in the narratives of adult sign language learners

Aims and Objectives: Learning to control reference in narratives is a major step in becoming a speaker of a second language, including a signed language. Previous research describes the pragmatic and cognitive mechanisms that are used for reference control and it is clear that differences are apparent between first and second language speakers. However, some debate exists about the reasons for second language learners’ tendency for over-redundancy in reference forms especially in the use of pronouns. In this study we tested these proposed reasons for L2 differences. Methodology: Narratives by 11 native signers and 13 adult advanced-learners of Catalan sign language were analysed for person reference. Data: Analysis focused on forms for introduction, reintroduction and maintenance of characters. Findings: The results indicate both groups used reference forms according to information saliency principles in similar ways. Differences between the groups were in the use of pronominal signs, where the learners adopted an over-redundancy strategy in line with one hypothesis in the previous studies on second language acquisition in spoken languages. Significance: The results are discussed in terms of the vulnerable syntax–pragmatics interface in developing bilinguals

Does empirical data from bilingual and native Spanish corpora meet linguistic theory? The role of discourse context in variation of subject expression

Abstract The goal of this study is to shed light on how empirical data on the discourse constraints of null and overt third person subject pronouns in L1 and bilingual Spanish meet linguistic theory. A (semi)spontaneous production task was administered to 34 Moroccan Arabic (MA)/Spanish early sequential bilinguals and 30 L1 Spanish controls. All 3rd person subject positions were coded: (1) morphosyntactic form (null pronoun vs. overt pronoun); (2) discourse function ([-Topic Shift] vs. [+Topic Shift]); (3) sentence relation (intrasentential vs. intersentential); (4) clause order within intrasentential contexts (main-subordinate vs. subordinate-main); and (5) access to the antecedent (clear vs. ambiguous antecedent). The results reveal general patterns of use in both L1 and bilingual Spanish: null pronouns express topic maintenance both in inter- and intrasentential contexts (both clause orders) and overt pronouns, especially in intersentential contexts, are generally used for topic change. However, additional analyses provide evidence that null pronouns in L1, but not in bilingual Spanish, are often used in change of reference contexts where the antecedent is not ambiguous. This reveals patterns that have gone unreported by most previous descriptive and theoretical studies. Finally, a higher use of ambiguous null pronouns is attested among bilingual speakers, which suggests a lower control of the mechanisms by which reference is established in discourse and supports, to some extent, the predictions derived from the Interface Hypothesis.

The Development of Referential Choice in Spanish Narratives Among School-Age Children and Adolescents

Studies on language development in infancy have shown that it takes a long time for children to reach adult-like control over the use of referring expressions since it depends on the efficient coordination of different sources of information such as morphosyntax, discourse-pragmatic information and representation of other people’s mental states, among others. In Spanish, it has been observed that null subject pronouns display a tendency to convey topic continuity, whereas overt pronouns convey topic change. In our study, we explore whether the use of subject pronouns in 40 Spanish-speaking children, adolescents (10, 13 and 16-year-olds) and adults is constrained by the same factors that constrain adult usage both in oral and written modalities. Among the most significant findings are the following: (a) an effect of age only in spoken texts and in relation with the discourse function that null pronouns convey, representing a greater tolerance for ambiguity, and (b) a lack of complete control with overt pronouns at lower age groups.

El porqué de las cosas: a propósito de la adquisición de la gramática

This paper focuses on the debate between theory and data in the field of language acquisition research. The discussion departs from the Principles and Parameters framework, considering its later evolution. The suggestion is that what guides data analysis is the idealistic aim of reaching the explanatory adequacy advocated by this theory. In order to undertake the study of child grammar, an effective use can be made of the same tools used to explain adult language. The paper deals with one of the most recent aspects proposed by this theory ‐the morphological or formal features‐, and explains how these features can be helpful in the search, selection and interpretation of language acquisition data. Moreover, a difference arises between spontaneous and experimental data. The former accounts for linguistic production and the latter for linguistic knowledge. I take for granted that spontaneous data can lead to experimental designs; however, experimental data reach finer results. In relation with spontaneous production data, some methodological aspects are discussed: productivity rates (its virtues and defects), error assessment, etc. It is noted that researchers have to be cautious when working with this kind of data.