Processingserandestarto locate objects and events

Abstract

In Spanish locative constructions, a different form of the copula is selected in relation to the semantic properties of the grammatical subject: sentences that locate objects require estar while those that locate events require ser (both translated in English as ‘to be’). In an ERP study, we examined whether second language (L2) speakers of Spanish are sensitive to the selectional restrictions that the different types of subjects impose on the choice of the two copulas. Twenty-four native speakers of Spanish and two groups of L2 Spanish speakers (24 beginners and 18 advanced speakers) were recruited to investigate the processing of ‘object/event + estar/ser’ permutations. Participants provided grammaticality judgments on correct (object + estar; event + ser) and incorrect (object + ser; event + estar) sentences while their brain activity was recorded. In line with previous studies (Leone-Fernández, Molinaro, Carreiras, & Barber, 2012; Sera, Gathje, & Pintado, 1999), the results of the grammaticality judgment for the native speakers showed that participants correctly accepted object + estar and event + ser constructions. In addition, while ‘object + ser’ constructions were considered grossly ungrammatical, ‘event + estar’ combinations were perceived as unacceptable to a lesser degree. For these same participants, ERP recording time-locked to the onset of the critical word ‘en’ showed a larger P600 for the ser predicates when the subject was an object than when it was an event (*La silla es en la cocina vs. La fiesta es en la cocina). This P600 effect is consistent with syntactic repair of the defining predicate when it does not fit with the adequate semantic properties of the subject. For estar predicates (La silla está en la cocina vs. *La fiesta está en la cocina), the findings showed a central-frontal negativity between 500–700 ms. Grammaticality judgment data for the L2 speakers of Spanish showed that beginners were significantly less accurate than native speakers in all conditions, while the advanced speakers only differed from the natives in the event+ser and event+estar conditions. For the ERPs, the beginning learners did not show any effects in the time-windows under analysis. The advanced speakers showed a pattern similar to that of native speakers: (1) a P600 response to ‘object + ser’ violation more central and frontally distributed, and (2) a central-frontal negativity between 500–700 ms for ‘event + estar’ violation. Findings for the advanced speakers suggest that behavioral methods commonly used to assess grammatical knowledge in the L2 may be underestimating what L2 speakers have actually learned.

Sociolinguistic Competence and Interpreting Variable Structures in a Second Language

“…The Spanish copula contrast has further been examined to advance theoretical perspectives (e.g., Bruhn de Garavito & Valenzuela, 2008; Perpiñán, Marín, & Moreno Villamar, 2019), pedagogical approaches (Cheng, 2002; VanPatten, 2010), and inquiry into understudied language pairs (e.g., Korean [Geeslin & Long, 2015]; Dutch [Pinto & Guerra Rivera, 2015]), the role of tasks in research on learner language (Geeslin, 2006), and L2 processing (Dussias, Contemori, & Román, 2014). Contemporary research has also isolated particular copular functions (e.g., locative [Dussias et al, 2014]; stative and eventive passives [Bruhn de Garavito & Valenzuela, 2008]). Consistent with this development, many studies limit their analysis to the attributive function (i.e., the [copula + adjective] context) (e.g., Geeslin, 2003).…”

“…Early research focused on all functions of the copula, and generally sought to confirm, refute, and refine the attested stages of acquisition across learners and learning contexts (e.g., Ryan & Lafford, 1992). The Spanish copula contrast has further been examined to advance theoretical perspectives (e.g., Bruhn de Garavito & Valenzuela, 2008;Perpiñán, Marín, & Moreno Villamar, 2019), pedagogical approaches (Cheng, 2002;VanPatten, 2010), and inquiry into understudied language pairs (e.g., Korean [Geeslin & Long, 2015]; Dutch [Pinto & Guerra Rivera, 2015]), the role of tasks in research on learner language (Geeslin, 2006), and L2 processing (Dussias, Contemori, & Román, 2014). Contemporary research has also isolated particular copular functions (e.g., locative [Dussias et al, 2014]; stative and eventive passives [Bruhn de Garavito & Valenzuela, 2008]).…”

The role of aspect in the acquisition ofserandestarin locative contexts by English-speaking learners of Spanish

“…To sum up, the findings from Dussias et al (2014) and Pérez- Leroux et al (2010), and to some extent those from Sera (1992) identify the location of event nominals as the locus of trouble in the acquisition of these constructions as opposed to the location of objects, which are acquired earlier. These results are at odds with VanPatten's claim regarding the general little difficulty of the acquisition of ser, and the higher complexity in the acquisition of estar due to its aspectual marked nature.…”

“…To our knowledge, only two studies have directly investigated the object/event contrast in locatives on L2 Spanish, and both of them with intermediate and advanced learners. These are Dussias, Contemori and Román (2014), and Pérez- Leroux, Álvarez and Battersby (2010). Dussias et al (2014) employed a guided production task and a grammaticality judgment task while participants' ERPs were being recorded, and Pérex- Leroux et al (2010) employed an offline grammaticality judgment task.…”

“…These are Dussias, Contemori and Román (2014), and Pérez- Leroux, Álvarez and Battersby (2010). Dussias et al (2014) employed a guided production task and a grammaticality judgment task while participants' ERPs were being recorded, and Pérex- Leroux et al (2010) employed an offline grammaticality judgment task. Pérez- Leroux et al (2010) found asymmetrical results depending on the structure: their participants were target-like with estar expressing location with objects, and with ser in change-of-state attributive constructions.…”