L2 Knowledge of the Obligatory French Subjunctive: Offline Measures and Eye Tracking Compared

Abstract

Extensive research has shown that second language (L2) learners find it difficult to apply grammatical knowledge during real-time processing, especially when differences exist between the first (L1) and L2. The current study examines the extent to which British English-speaking learners of French can apply their grammatical knowledge of the French subjunctive during real-time processing, and whether this ability is modulated by the properties of the L1 grammar, and/or proficiency. Data from an acceptability judgment task and an eye-tracking during reading experiment revealed that L2 learners had knowledge of the subjunctive, but were unable to apply this knowledge when reading for comprehension. Such findings therefore suggest that L2 knowledge of the subjunctive, at least at the proficiency levels tested in this study, is largely metalinguistic (explicit) in nature and that reduced lexical access and/or limited computational resources (e.g., working memory) prevented learners from fully utilising their grammatical representations during real-time processing.

The Subjunctive as a Model of Grammatical Complexity: An Integrative Review of Issues Based on Combined Evidence from Mental Chronometry and Neurosciences

“…In a recent study, Dudley and Slabakova [ 113 ] used eye tracking (factors inspected: eye fixations, convergence, and saccades) to investigate online sensitivity to the subjunctive in French L2. Forty-five English-speaking learners of French (34 females, mean age = 14.42, SD = 1.12 years, first exposure to French at 9.47 years) in their second and final year of an undergraduate degree or their one-year postgraduate degree in modern and foreign languages took part in the study.…”

“…The research questions sought to determine whether sensitivity was modulated by L1–L2 differences in verbal mood featural formal configurations and whether the level of proficiency performed a role in the detection of errors involving subjunctive use. Results from the acceptability judgment task showed that participants had knowledge of the French subjunctive but were unable to apply their knowledge when reading the sentences [ 113 ]. The eye-tracking test failed to demonstrate any evidence regarding the L2 learners’ sensitivity to mood mismatches (violation paradigm).…”