Differential Access: Asymmetries in Accessing Features and Building Representations in Heritage Language Grammars

Abstract

In this article, we propose that elements of heritage language grammars—both in the form of axiomatic features and larger combined representational units—are not easily lost over the course of the lifespan. This view contrasts with alternative explanations for the steady-state representation of these grammars that suggest truncated acquisition or erosion are the primary culprits of perceived language loss. In production and comprehension processes for heritage bilinguals, particular elements are more difficult to access than others, leading to differential ways to access representations and feature values. To illustrate and support this hypothesis, we build on previous work by examining the interpretation and use of obligatory mood selection in Spanish desiderative constructions in three groups of heritage speakers with different levels of language proficiency.

Lexical frequency and morphological regularity as sources of heritage speaker variability in the acquisition of mood

“…The role played by lexical frequency and form regularity underscores the connection between learners’ linguistic experience and their abilities to access and retrieve lexical items for interpretation and production purposes, as recently proposed in Perez-Cortes, Putnam and Sánchez (2019). Specifically, items that are more frequent in the input (i.e.…”

On Complexity and Divergence in Heritage Language Grammars

“…Several factors appear to influence the degree of maintenance of said alternations in heritage speakers' grammars. Researchers agree that higher levels of proficiency in the HL not only increase the likelihood of retaining semantic contrasts in contexts featuring variable mood selection (Giancaspro, 2019;Montrul, 2007Montrul, , 2009 but also decrease HSs' rates of morphological optionality (Perez-Cortes, 2021;Perez-Cortes et al, 2019;Sánchez, 2019). The frequency of use of the HL has also been found to play a role in mood selection (albeit in obligatory contexts), whereby higher rates of activation of this language increase subjunctive use in disjoint reference desideratives, which trigger subjunctive selection (Perez-Cortes, 2016).…”

“…1 Given HSs' gradual reduction of input and activation of the heritage language (HL) as a result of being schooled in the majority language (Wong-Fillmore, 1991), it is possible that extensive exposure to-and consistent use of-these late-acquired mood alternations might have been rather limited. As noted by several researchers (Perez-Cortes et al, 2019;Putnam & Sánchez, 2013;Sánchez, 2019), these conditions could lead to increasing difficulties in the access to and retrieval of indicative and subjunctive forms, potentially resulting in restructuring of the HL system (Miller & Rothman, 2020;Putnam et al, 2019). The time-course of development and acquisition of these contrasts is not the only concern that should be taken into account when considering previous analyses on this topic.…”

(Ir)regular Mood Swings: Lexical Variability in Heritage Speakers’ Oral Production of Subjunctive Mood

“…First and foremost, our analysis is restricted to the domain of production. Given the productive–receptive asymmetries reported in the HL literature (see Perez‐Cortes, Putnam, & Sánchez, 2019, for a review), we suggest that future work should complement these findings by testing participants’ receptive knowledge of mood within the same context (following the work of Collentine, 1997, and Kanwit & Geeslin, 2014, on second language learners). Evaluating production and comprehension in the same set of speakers would allow us to determine whether the trends observed (i.e., regularity effects), which may be an artifact of difficulties in production, are also present at the level of representation.…”