Through quantitative investigation, the present study considers the use of subjunctive verb forms in the speech of Spanish heritage language speakers in New York City. The data are from recorded conversations with 26 participants of Puerto Rican, Dominican, Mexican, Ecuadorian, Colombian and Cuban national origins. The purpose of this sociolinguistic study is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the mood grammar of NYC Spanish-English bilinguals in oral production. Results from statistical analyses show significant language-internal differences (e.g., context and rank order), but are null for all external variables, including national and regional grouping, suggesting a homogenous cohort with respect to mood selection. This study also explores inter- and intra-group variation, as well as a bilingual spectrum in which two individual participants demonstrate variable degrees of control with respect to grammatical mood.
The learning and teaching of Spanish as a heritage language through community service-learning in New York City