Comment Clauses and mood choice in New York City Spanish

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 728-744
Author(s):  
Kevin Martillo Viner
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
York City ◽  
Generational Differences ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Matrix Clause ◽  
Conditioning Factors ◽  
Two Generations ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Grammatical Mood

Abstract This paper focuses on Spanish grammatical mood variation in Comment Clauses (e.g., es mejor que no vayas (subjunctive) / vas (indicative) ‘it’s better you not go’) in the speech of two generations in New York City. The data come from 36 participants, 18 from each of two generational cohorts. Carried out within the variationist-sociolinguistic research paradigm, we test grammatical mood against eight variables, four external (generation, region, speaker sex, language skill) and four internal (grammatical tense, clause type, lexical identity, negation). Statistical findings reveal that generation significantly conditions subjunctive use (the first generation has a significantly higher rate of use of subjunctive forms than does the second generation); English skill conditions first-generation subjunctive use (those with ‘good or excellent’ English skills have a higher subjunctive rate than those with ‘fair or poor’ English skills); clause type conditions both generations’ subjunctive use (impersonal constructions yield a higher subjunctive rate than personal constructions); lexical identity and negation in the matrix clause both condition first-generation use of mood (gustar ‘to like’ favors the indicative; importar ‘to be important’ and ser + impersonal expression ‘to be’ both favor the subjunctive). Generational differences are thus observed with respect to both social and linguistic conditioning factors.

Generational differences in the placement of clitic se in New York City Spanish

2021 ◽  
pp. 136700692110165
Author(s):  
Kevin Martillo Viner
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
York City ◽  
Internal Variables ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
External Variables ◽  
Two Generations ◽  
Finite Verb ◽  
Chi Square Tests

Aims and objectives: This study analyzes the proclitic and enclitic positions of Spanish clitic se (e.g., ella se quería ir / ella quería irse ‘she wanted to go’) across two generations of Spanish speakers in New York City. In an effort to contribute to ongoing research aimed at better understanding Spanish in the US, the following questions are addressed. In syntactic environments that permit variation, does placement of Spanish se differ between the two generations? From the internal variables identified for this study (nonfinite verb type, finite verb, tense of finite verb, grammatical person, use of se, grammatical mood of finite verb, negation), which ones have a statistically significant effect on placement? From the external variables identified for this study (national origin, region, areal origins, sex, age, years in US, socioeconomic class, education, English skill, Spanish skill, general Spanish use), which ones have a statistically significant effect on placement? Design and data: This study is carried out within a variationist-sociolinguistic framework and the sample consists of 50 participants, 25 from the first generation (G1) and 25 from the second (G2). Analysis: Bivariate chi-square tests are performed in order to determine what internal and external variables constrain placement of the dependent variable (clitic se placement). Findings: Generation has a statistically significant effect on placement ( p = .016), wherein proclisis is more frequent amongst the G2 participants. These results corroborate previous research showing an overall preference for proclisis in both monolingual and bilingual/heritage speakers. Further, chi-square tests pinpoint five conditioning effects for G1 (nonfinite verb type, use of se, finite verb, years in US, and English skill), but only two for G2 (use of se and English skill). Originality and implications: The present study is the first to discover strong correlations between the proclitic position and the numerous internal and external variables quantitatively assessed. Future research is thus warranted.

scholarly journals The short-a split in a suburban area of the New York City dialect region

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Allison Shapp
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
High School Students ◽  
York City ◽  
Word List ◽  
Local Version ◽  
School Students ◽  
Conditioning Factors ◽  
Vowel Phoneme ◽  
Nasal Consonant

In American English, the most common pattern for the pronunciation of the allophones of the vowel phoneme /æ/ is the “nasal-split,” where the vowel is tense (raised, fronted) when followed by a nasal consonant and lax (lowered, backed) otherwise. In contrast, historically New York City English (NYCE) has had a “complex short-a split” with different conditioning factors for each allophone. This paper reports on new data from the eastern edge of the NYCE dialect region: suburban Nassau County, Long Island. Using word-list data from the sociolinguistic interviews of 24 high school students, aged 14-18, and 7 of their teachers and mentors, this paper shows that while young speakers in this region are moving towards the wider American nasal-split, the local version of that nasal-split still includes components of the traditional NYCE complex-split.

scholarly journals Generational Differences in Food Perception and the Risk of Chronic Disease Among Jamaican Immigrant Families Living in New York City

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 262-262
Author(s):  
Patricia Pauyo ◽  
Margrethe Horlyck-Romanovsky ◽  
Naudia Jones
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Health Education ◽  
York City ◽  
Generational Differences ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Processed Foods ◽  
Food Perceptions

Abstract Objectives A Quarter of all US-based Jamaicans live in New York City (NYC) (N = 178,750). Compared to African Americans, Black Caribbeans experience lower rates of obesity (36% vs. 29%) and hypertension (38% vs 35%), but similar rates of diabetes (13% vs. 15%). Little is known about how diet and acculturation affect risk of chronic disease among Jamaican immigrants of different age groups. The aims of this study were to identify among three generations of Jamaicans living in NYC: a) how food experiences influence food perceptions and dietary behaviors; and b) how acculturation, social norms, socio-economic status and trans-national movements affect diet and risk of chronic disease. Methods Group and individual interviews with youth (n = 10), parents (n = 6) and grandparents (n = 8) used open-ended questions, were recorded and lasted 45 – 90 min. Participants received $20 gift cards as incentives. Recordings were transcribed, and analyzed using Dedoose 7.0. Results Three major themes emerged: Food perceptions and the concept of clean food impelled participants from all generations to consume a healthier diet consisting of more fresh fruits and vegetables and less processed foods. Among youth, remote acculturation to the US culture and global foods made it more acceptable to replace traditional home cooked foods with processed foods. Third, acculturation provided older Jamaican immigrants with easier access to healthcare and health education. The health advice provided by doctors, dietitians and other healthcare professionals was well respected and older Jamaicans reported high levels of compliance. Conclusions Among youth, early exposure to US culture and foods while living in Jamaica may increase future risk of chronic disease by making it more acceptable to replace cultural foods with American foods. Food perceptions and the concept of clean food play an important role in the way that Jamaicans of all ages think about, purchase and eat food. Truly valuing fruits and vegetables made adult Jamaican immigrants more receptive to health education and more likely to lower their risk of chronic disease. Funding Sources CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, Dean's Dissertation Grant (Dissertation research support for author Horlyck-Romanovsky).

Differential Social Integration among First Generation Greeks in New York

1988 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 627-657 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Veglery
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Social Integration ◽  
York City ◽  
Educational Level ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Greek Immigrants

This study examines differential integration of recent Greek immigrants into the religious structure of the Greek community vis-à-vis the American community of New York City. It also examines the two characteristics of the immigrants: their educational level and their knowledge of English. For data collection, 71 post-1965 Greek immigrants were interviewed in 1982.

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