This study investigates the functions of the Present Perfect in the variety of Alicante, Spain. Previous studies show that, in Peninsular Spanish varieties, the Present Perfect is the well...Show moreThis study investigates the functions of the Present Perfect in the variety of Alicante, Spain. Previous studies show that, in Peninsular Spanish varieties, the Present Perfect is the well-established form in hodiernal contexts (occurring on the same day as the moment of speech). Moreover, it is shown that the use of this form gradually increases in prehodiernal contexts (occurring before the day of the moment of speech). This gradual development is referred to as the process of grammaticalization, which is traditionally described by successive stages. More recent studies, however, have revised those stages in order to explain in more detail, the change and variation of the Present Perfect. The goal of this study is to provide new data for the assessment of the revised stages. Furthermore, it includes three generational speaker groups to observe a change over time. The overall low frequency (17.8%) of Present Perfect tokens in the hodiernal context shows the necessity of more detailed perspectives to understand the grammaticalization of the Present Perfect.Show less
An interesting topic of research in second language acquisition is whether learners can achieve a native-like language, even though certain features do not occur in their native language. There are...Show moreAn interesting topic of research in second language acquisition is whether learners can achieve a native-like language, even though certain features do not occur in their native language. There are numerous studies on native English speakers learning Spanish as a second language. However, there are not many researchers who investigated the Spanish interlanguage of native Dutch speakers. Therefore, this study investigates the Spanish acquisition of Dutch students from Leiden University. The feature that is being analysed is nominal agreement, the agreement between a noun and its linked elements, such as determiners and adjectives. The information of the gender and number of the noun is displayed in these elements (la ciudad pequeña, “the small city” and el pueblo pequeño, “the small town”). The participants were divided into three different proficiency groups: beginner, intermediate and advanced. They all had to answer three essay questions, which were analysed on the correct use of nominal agreement. Results showed that how higher the proficiency level of the speaker, how more native-like the language becomes. Participants made more errors with plural and feminine nouns than with singular and masculine nouns, which demonstrates that singular and masculine are used as default. Whether speakers find the determiner-noun agreement easier than the noun-adjective agreement will still be a subject to further discuss.Show less
This study examines L2 learners’ ability to distinguish category boundaries in two languages that differ in their semantic categorization and range of application. L1 Spanish speakers of L2 English...Show moreThis study examines L2 learners’ ability to distinguish category boundaries in two languages that differ in their semantic categorization and range of application. L1 Spanish speakers of L2 English were tested for their categorization of items in both languages. Participants were divided into three groups according to their English proficiency level. The data reveals that although high proficiency in an L2 correlates to less evidence of L1 influence in semantic processing, L2 learners are still influenced by the L1 even at high levels of proficiency. Moreover, the results suggest that L2 learners’ semantic system might be based on that of the L1 and that L2 words could be mediated by L1 meanings.Show less
