Spanish Heritage Language Acquisition: What Factors Influence the Use of Subjunctive in Future and Adult Heritage Speakers?

Nuñez, Raquel

Spanish Heritage Language Acquisition: What Factors Influence the Use of Subjunctive in Future and Adult Heritage Speakers?

dc.contributor.advisor	Dracos, Melisa
dc.contributor.author	Nuñez, Raquel
dc.contributor.department	University Scholar.	en_US
dc.contributor.other	Baylor University.	en_US
dc.date.accessioned	2020-05-20T12:39:39Z
dc.date.available	2020-05-20T12:39:39Z
dc.date.copyright	2020-04-23
dc.date.issued	2020-05-20
dc.description.abstract	This study compared subjunctive (SUBJ) use in obligatory, early-acquired contexts among Spanish-English bilingual children in the early years of elementary school (where English is dominant language) to obligatory SUBJ use among adult heritage speakers (HSs) with a similar background to that of the children. The study examined the use of the obligatory subjunctive in Spanish HSs, who have historically shown lower rates of subjunctive use than native Spanish speakers (Silva-Corvalán 1994). 30 future HSs and 20 HSs in Texas completed an oral mood selection sentence-completion task, language background questionnaires, and language proficiency exams on their knowledge of both English and Spanish. While there was a strong positive association between Spanish proficiency and SUBJ use among the 5-6-year old future HSs, no reliable association was found between Spanish proficiency and subjunctive use among the adult HSs, as has been suggested in previous research (e.g., Montrul, 2009). Next, adult HSs used the subjunctive mood in obligatory contexts substantially more than future HSs did, suggesting that a) there may be some delay in acquisition of SUBJ in these contexts amongst the children compared to monolinguals (supporting Hoff’s (2014) research), and importantly, b) there is continued SUBJ development in the school years beyond the ages tested, even with increased English exposure and use and decreased Spanish exposure/use once entering school. Such findings point to continued development, which is not in line with the idea of attrition or incomplete acquisition (Montrul, 2009) of Spanish SUBJ from heritage speakers’ early school years into adulthood, at least not in the obligatory contexts tested. The findings displayed a strong association between the language spoken with siblings at home and the usage of SUBJ in obligatory contexts among both groups. Furthermore, no relationship was observed between formal Spanish instruction and usage of the SUBJ mood in obligatory cases, which has previously been proposed by Valdés (2005). This honors thesis especially highlights the need for further studies of heritage Spanish morphosyntax, as heritage speakers exhibit a myriad of characteristics worth explaining.	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/2104/10859
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US
dc.rights	Baylor University projects are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.	en_US
dc.rights.accessrights	Worldwide access	en_US
dc.subject	Spanish Heritage Speakers	en_US
dc.subject	Heritage Language Acquisition	en_US
dc.subject	Obligatory Subjunctive	en_US
dc.title	Spanish Heritage Language Acquisition: What Factors Influence the Use of Subjunctive in Future and Adult Heritage Speakers?	en_US
dc.type	Thesis	en_US