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

Languages ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Perez-Cortes ◽  
Putnam ◽  
Sánchez
Keyword(s):  
Steady State ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Language Loss ◽  
State Representation ◽  
Heritage Speakers ◽  
Feature Values ◽  
Mood Selection ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Differential Access

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.

scholarly journals Factors Affecting Language Proficiency in Heritage Language: The Case of Young Russian Heritage Speakers in Spain

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 303-329
Author(s):  
Tamara Vorobyeva ◽  
Aurora Bel
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
The Other ◽  
Significant Variable ◽  
Heritage Speakers ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Family Language

Abstract This study focuses on the issue of language proficiency attainment among young heritage speakers of Russian living in Spain and examines factors that have been claimed to promote heritage language proficiency, namely, age, gender, age of onset to L2, quantity of exposure and family language use. A group of 30 Russian-Spanish-Catalan trilingual children aged 7–11 participated in the study. In order to measure heritage language proficiency (L1 Russian), oral narratives were elicited. The results demonstrated a significant relationship between L1 proficiency and three sociolinguistic variables (age of onset to L2, quantity of exposure and family language use). Additionally, the multiply regression model demonstrated that the only significant variable affecting language proficiency was family language use and it accounted only for 33% of the variation of children’s language proficiency. The study raises the question about what are the other, yet unknown factors, which can affect heritage language proficiency.

ON COMPLEXITY AND DIVERGENCE IN HERITAGE LANGUAGE GRAMMARS

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Silvia Perez-Cortes
Keyword(s):  
Heritage Language ◽  
Previous Literature ◽  
Heritage Speakers ◽  
Mood Selection ◽  
High Degree

Abstract For more than a decade, research on heritage speakers’ (HSs’) mood selection has documented a high degree of variability in their interpretation and use of mood morphology in variable contexts. Most of the previous literature, however, has focused on late-acquired alternations, and often limited analyses to one form (i.e., subjunctive), making it difficult to draw conclusions about HSs’ knowledge of mood distinctions. This study intends to fill this gap by examining Spanish HSs’ (n = 76) and Spanish-dominant controls’ (n = 25) interpretation and use of an early acquired mood alternation, where the presence of indicative or subjunctive conveys the report of an assertion or a command. Results from two experimental tasks reveal that, even though HSs’ performance tends to differ from that of controls’—especially at lower levels of proficiency—the nature and extent of their divergences suggests the need to embrace a more nuanced analysis of HSs’ linguistic outcomes when examining modal contrasts.

scholarly journals Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian Heritage Speakers in Four Major U.S. Metropolitan Areas: Resources for the Attainment of Full Professional Linguistic Proficiency

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 33
Author(s):  
Danko Šipka
Keyword(s):  
Language Learners ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Metropolitan Areas ◽  
Heritage Language Learners ◽  
Heritage Learners ◽  
Heritage Speakers ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
Linguistic Proficiency ◽  
Design And Testing

The present study analyzes heritage learners of Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian (BCS) from four major U.S. metropolitan areas. The focus is on the prospects of their attaining full professional language proficiency. Several major factors in language maintenance and the possibility of attaining full professional proficiency in the language are identified. The design and testing of a syllabus for heritage language speakers is provided and discussed. The author concludes with a call for the creation of a BCS heritage language centre as a durable solution for providing heritage language learners a path toward full professional proficiency.

Heritage Language Variation and Change – How Complex Is It?

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Naomi Nagy ◽  
Timothy Gadanidis
Keyword(s):  
Multivariate Regression ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Linguistic Context ◽  
Language Variation And Change ◽  
Heritage Speakers ◽  
Probabilistic Information ◽  
Complex Processes ◽  
Different Levels

Abstract We focus on complexity from the comparative variationist perspective, a sociolinguistic approach that examines variable aspects of language (that is, different ways of saying the same thing). Arguably, variable elements are harder to acquire than categorical ones, as a Variability Matrix must be acquired along with every element. This matrix contains probabilistic information about when each form is (more) appropriate, according to an array of factors. These include inter-speaker (social) and intra-speaker (linguistic context) predictors. We ask how the Variability Matrix for predictors of a variable compares between heritage speakers (people living in a context where their language is a minority language) and homeland speakers (people living in a context where their language is a majority language), and how these can fairly be compared. In the variationist approach, multivariate regression analyses reveal the predictors (and levels within each predictor) of a response or dependent variable and their corresponding Variability Matrices. However, the variationist field lacks an established comparative methodology to determine how/if varieties differ. One shortcoming is that different-sized samples are often compared, implicating different levels of statistical significance even when the populations’ patterns are identical. Comparison of variable patterns in Heritage and Homeland Cantonese illustrates one solution. We revise analyses conducted previously of two morphosyntactic variables: prodrop and classifiers (Nagy, 2015; Nagy & Lo, 2019) in Cantonese, applying a bootstrap procedure to mitigate issues associated with unequal-sized datasets frequent in studies of minority and endangered varieties. From these analyses, we learn that heritage and homeland grammars’ degrees of complexity are similar: the matrices of (significant) frequencies are the same size. This approach allows us to consider not just which surface forms constitute the heritage vs. homeland varieties, but also the complexity of the decision-making process the speakers apply in selecting among the forms. As one might expect, heritage and homeland speakers are capable of equally complex processes.

scholarly journals Um teste de verificação lexical de português brasileiro (TVLPB) como língua adicional: criação e validação / A Vocabulary Level Eest for Brazilian Portuguese as a Second Language: Design and Validation

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 125
Author(s):  
Thaís Maíra Machado de Sá ◽  
Alexandre Alves Santos ◽  
Ricardo Augusto de Souza ◽  
Luiz Amaral ◽  
Victor Nascimento Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Internal Validity ◽  
Brazilian Portuguese ◽  
Heritage Speakers ◽  
Proficiency Level ◽  
Language Proficiency Test ◽  
Accuracy Rates

Resumo: Dado o aumento de falantes de português como língua adicional, de acolhimento e de herança, é de grande importância ter uma ferramenta padronizada de medida de proficiência que seja de fácil e rápida administração. Neste trabalho, mostramos a criação e validação interna de um Teste de Verificação Lexical do Português Brasileiro (TVLPB). O teste foi criado com cinco bandas de frequência que correspondem à distribuição de frequência lexical encontrada em diferentes corpora. Os resultados com falantes nativos mostram convergência de respostas em relação às rubricas selecionadas e às bandas de frequência utilizadas, indicando uma validade interna. O teste foi aplicado também com falantes de herança, em que também percebemos um aumento da dificuldade em relação às bandas do teste.Palavras-chave: VLT; português como língua adicional; teste de proficiência; avaliação.Abstract: Given the growing number of speakers of Portuguese as a host, second, and heritage language, a proficiency level test that can be easily and reliably administered is necessary. In this work, we show the design and validation of the Brazilian Portuguese Vocabulary Level Test (TVLPB). The test comprises five different frequency bands that correspond to the lexical distribution found in different corpora. The results show that native speakers’ responses tend to follow the same pattern across the different bands of the test which indicates internal validity. The test was also administered with heritage speakers of Portuguese, and the results show that accuracy rates decline as the frequency of words is decreased.Keywords: VLT; Portuguese as a second language; proficiency test; evaluation.

scholarly journals Divergence in heritage Ambon Malay in the Netherlands: The role of social-psychological factors

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 395-411
Author(s):  
Francesca R Moro
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Psychological Factors ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Linguistic Variables ◽  
Social Psychological ◽  
Double Object ◽  
Heritage Speakers ◽  
The Social

Aims and Objectives/Purpose/Research Questions: This article examines the role of social-psychological factors in the development of heritage Ambon Malay in the Netherlands. More specifically, it aims to answer this question: Can social-psychological factors account for the different frequency of Dutch-like structures among heritage speakers? Design/Methodology/Approach: Data from 32 Ambon Malay heritage speakers and 27 Ambon Malay homeland speakers were collected by means of video stimuli and a sociolinguistic interview. Data and Analysis: The database provides six linguistic variables and three social-psychological factors. The linguistic variables are as follows: the pre-verbal marker ada; the definite marker = nya; the double object construction; the prepositional phrase and adjectival phrase in resultative constructions; the pre-nominal order for the demonstrative itu and the numeral satu ‘one’. The social-psychological factors are where the speaker lives, onset of Dutch bilingualism and attitude. The effect of the social-psychological factors on the linguistic variables was assessed using a multivariate general linear model. Findings/Conclusions: The results show that place where the speaker lives is the best predictor. Heritage speakers living outside a Moluccan ward have a higher rate of Dutch-like features than speakers living inside a Moluccan ward. In some cases, sequential bilinguals are more innovative than simultaneous bilinguals. Finally, speakers with only a mild positive attitude towards the heritage language have a higher rate of Dutch-like features. Originality: Unlike previous studies, this article does not test the role of social-psychological factors against self-ratings of heritage language proficiency, but it uses real language data. Significance/Implications: The theoretical significance of this study is to bridge the gap between the sphere of language structure and the sphere of language use and language attitude. An additional value lies in its findings that frequent use of the heritage language means not only a higher rate of maintenance but also accelerated change.

Syntactic Complexity Measures as Indices of Language Proficiency in Writing: Focus on Heritage Learners of Russian

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-30
Author(s):  
Olesya Kisselev ◽  
Aleksandr Klimov ◽  
Mikhail Kopotev
Keyword(s):  
Language Development ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Syntactic Complexity ◽  
Heritage Learners ◽  
Heritage Speakers ◽  
Complexity Measures ◽  
Linguistic Complexity ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Heritage Language Development

Abstract The concept of linguistic complexity, understood broadly as a range of basic and elaborate structures available and accessible to learners as evidenced in their production of speech and writing (Ortega, 2003), has featured prominently in second language development research since the inception of the field. The field of heritage language acquisition, however, has only recently begun to engage linguistic complexity as a comprehensive lens for studying heritage language development. The current study contributes to this fledgling area of research by investigating automatically extracted measures of syntactic complexity in the written language of heritage learners of Russian at various developmental levels. The analysis of 12 measures of syntactic complexity allows us to conclude that the majority of automatically extracted indices differentiate proficiency levels of heritage speakers in the study. The study results provide important insights into the nature of heritage language development and are readily applicable for assessment and pedagogical purposes.

Multiliteracy in Heritage Language Speakers: The Interdependence of L1 and L2, and Extra-linguistic Factors

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 377-408
Author(s):  
Claudia Riehl
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Heritage Language ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Heritage Speakers ◽  
Language Groups ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Argumentative Texts ◽  
L1 And L2 ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Different Levels

Recent research provides evidence for beneficial cross-influences between L1 and L2, but we still know little about how different factors interact. Against this background, this article presents the results of a study that analyzes the interdependence of L1 and L2 text competence and the impact of metalinguistic awareness and extra-linguistic factors. The study was carried out with Italian, Greek and Turkish adolescent heritage speakers in a German-speaking environment. The data encompass narrative and argumentative texts in L1 and L2, sociolinguistic interviews and a bilingual language awareness test (LAT). The texts are analyzed according to holistic scores by defining different levels of text competences. The results indicate that students achieve a significantly higher score in both narrative and argumentative texts in L2. Moreover, there is a genre-specific advantage for the narrative text. Although there is no significant difference between the heritage language groups the Greek students achieve higher upper scores. The different levels of text competence also correlate with metalinguistic knowledge and extra-linguistic factors, most significantly writing practices and schooling in the heritage language. The results therefore provide further support for the assumption that teaching and learning heritage languages has a positive impact on school language literacy development. Other than a few mentions of Turkish speakers at the beginning I don’t see examples of their texts or conclusions about their writing.

Subject and object expression in Spanish heritage speakers: A case of morphosyntactic convergence

2004 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
SILVINA MONTRUL
Keyword(s):  
Heritage Language ◽  
Language Loss ◽  
Semantic Features ◽  
Null Subjects ◽  
Heritage Speakers ◽  
Clitic Doubling ◽  
Oral Production ◽  
Subject And Object ◽  
Heritage Speakers Of Spanish ◽  
Spanish Heritage Speakers

Many simultaneous bilinguals exhibit loss or incomplete acquisition of their heritage language under conditions of exposure and use of the majority language (Silva-Corvalán, 1994, 2003; Polinsky, 1997; Toribio, 2001; Montrul, 2002). Recent work within discourse-functional (Silva-Corvalán 1994) and generative perspectives (Sorace, 2000; Montrul; 2002; Tsimpli, Sorace, Heycock, Filaci and Bouba, 2003, in press) suggests that while syntax proper is impervious to language loss or attrition, syntax-related interfaces like lexical-semantics and discourse-pragmatics are not. This study investigates argument expression in adult simultaneous bilinguals who are heritage speakers of Spanish, because in this language subjects, direct, and indirect objects are regulated by syntactic, pragmatic and semantic factors. It was hypothesized that if language loss affects interface areas of competence more than the purely syntactic domains, then Spanish heritage speakers should display robust knowledge of null subjects as well as object clitics, but variable behavior in the pragmatic distribution of null vs. overt subjects, the a preposition with animate direct objects, and cases of semantically based dative clitic-doubling. Results of an oral production task administered to 24 intermediate and advanced heritage speakers and 20 monolinguals confirmed the hypotheses. With the erosion of pragmatic and semantic features, the grammars of the intermediate proficiency Spanish heritage speakers appear to display morphosyntactic convergence with English in the expression of subject and object arguments.

Attitudes toward the use of TELL tools in English language learning among Vietnamese Tertiary English majors

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
pp. 581-596
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Language Learning ◽  
Guided Learning ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
English Majors ◽  
Very High ◽  
Different Levels

Technology plays a crucial role in the self-guided learning of a second language in general and English in particular. Nevertheless, many students in different contexts still ignore the application of technology-enhanced language learning (TELL) tools in enhancing their foreign language proficiency. Therefore, this study is conducted to investigate the attitudes towards the use of TELL tools in English-language learning (ELL) among English majors at one university in Vietnam. To collect data, 197 English majors participated in finishing the questionnaire, and 20 students were invited to join the interviews. The findings are that the majority of students have positive attitudes towards the use of TELL tools and the frequency of using these tools is very high. In addition, the results also reveal that there is no significant difference in attitudes towards and frequency of using TELL tools in learning English in terms of the year of study. However, students of different levels of academic achievements have different attitudes towards using TELL tools and use TELL tools to learn English differently. Received 2nd May 2019; Revised 16th July 2019, Accepted 20th October 2019

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