The role of aspect in the acquisition of ser and estar in locative contexts by English-speaking learners of Spanish
This study proposes an explanatory account for the developmental stages of the acquisition of ser and estar in locative constructions. We propose that this copular distribution is regulated by two aspectual features, dynamicity, and temporal boundedness. These features are crucial for the interpreta...
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| Format: | Article |
| Publication date: | 2019 |
| Country: | España |
| Institution: | Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya) |
| Repository: | Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:recercat.cat:20.500.12328/2864 |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12328/2864 https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10489223.2019.1610408 |
| Access Level: | Open access |
| Keyword: | Verbs copulatius Aprenentatge d'idiomes Verb ser Verb estar Construccions locatives Castellà L2 Verbos copulativos Aprendizaje de idiomas Verbo ser Verbo estar Construcciones locativas Castellano L2 Copulative verbs Language learning Verb to be Locative constructions Spanish L2 37 81 |
| Summary: | This study proposes an explanatory account for the developmental stages of the acquisition of ser and estar in locative constructions. We propose that this copular distribution is regulated by two aspectual features, dynamicity, and temporal boundedness. These features are crucial for the interpretation of nominals such as ‘dinner’, which refers to the physical food [-dynamic] with estar, and to the event of having a meal [+dynamic] with ser. In a Picture Matching Task and an Elicited Production Task, English-speaking learners of Spanish had to comprehend, locate, and distinguish objects from events by employing the two Spanish copulas. We questioned whether L2 learners would be sensitive to the aspectual nature of subjects and copulas in locative constructions. We found that participants had difficulties interpreting the feature [+dynamic] in nominal subjects, and propose that this is the last feature acquired, offering a revised developmental path of the acquisition of ser/estar building on Van Patten (1987). |
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