DISTRIBUTION OF GRAMMATICAL ASPECT MORPHEMES

IN INTERLANGUAGE

Dr. P. GonzálezLeiden University

Abstract Initial stage(s) of the acquisition of the L2 Spanish

aspectual system by L1 Dutch adult learners

Aspect Hypothesis

Predicational Effect Hypothesis

17 Dutch classroom L2 learners of Spanish following a beginner’s course took part on this experiment. They wrote a number of compositions

A hypothesis comparing analysis shows that it is not the lexical semantics of the verbs what partly influences the verb choice but the predicational aspect

4 steps: (1) Cross-linguistic analysis

(2) Acquisition theory

(3) Study

(4) Methodological implications

(1)Cross-linguistic analysis

     General linguistic principles: Tense and aspect are often treated

as a twin pair having complementary tasks:

a) tense provides the location; b) aspect gives information about the

perspective from which the eventuality is described.

Tense (pasts) Dutch: the voltooid tegenwoordige tijd (present perfect) the verleden tijd (simple past) Spanish: the pretérito perfecto compuesto (present perfect) the pretérito perfecto simple (simple past

perfective) the pretérito imperfecto (simple past

imperfective)

Aspect Grammatical: Spanish: the pretérito perfecto simple

(simple past perfective)the pretérito imperfecto (simple

past imperfective)

Predicational: Dutch: terminative eventualities

durative eventualities Spanish: terminative eventualities

durative eventualities

Table 1: Dutch pasts

Imperfect(onvoltooid)

Perfect(voltooid)

Durative 1 Zij zong she sang

2 Zij heeft gezongen she has sung

Terminative

3 Zij zong een lied she sang a song

4 Zij heeft een lied gezongen she has a song sung

Table 2: Spanish pastsImperfecto(Imperfect)

Perfecto simple(Simple perfect)

Perfecto compuesto(Compound Perfect)

Durative

1 cantaba sang.IMP.3rdp

2 cantó sang.PF.3rdp

3 ha cantado has sung

Terminative

4 cantaba una canción sang.IMP.3rdp a song

5 cantó una canción sang.PF.3rdp a song

6 ha cantado una canción has sung a song

Comparison between systems: Dutch Tense versus Spanish Tense: 1 tense

more in Spanish

Spanish Grammatical Aspect: no formal equivalent in Dutch

Dutch Predicational Aspect versus Spanish Predicational Aspect: the same in both languages!!

(2)Acquisition TheoryEffect of the L1

Which effect will a learner’s native language have on the acquisition of the aspectual properties of the L2?

What do they know about their L1’s temporal-aspectual system?

Aspect in Dutch: terminative/durative; will this have an effect?

New L2 information

Which aspectual information the L2 learner confronts for the first time?

In Spanish, the terminative/durative distinction does no have any influence on the choice of verb form

Different approaches to the acquisition of aspect and tense

Functional/pragmatic/context oriented research: Salaberry

Sentential level research: Andersen and his Aspect Hypothesis

Aspect Hypothesis “(…) Second language learners will initially

be influenced by the inherent semantic aspect of verbs or predicates in the acquisition of tense and aspect markers associated with or affixed to these verbs”

The AH is based on Vendler’s quadripartition: states, activities, accomplishments and achievements (verbal meanings)

“why use 4 when everything that needs to be accounted for

holds for 2”

Bipartitions: a) terminative and durative (predicational

meanings)b) perfective and imperfective (grammatical

meanings) Predication Effect Hypothesis: A division into terminative and durative predications presents an optimal description of what happens to the Spanish past tenses in the interlanguage of Dutch L2 learners

(3) Experimental Study 17 1st year students 11 weeks Compositions about the past Statistical analysis and comparison

Table 3: Use perfective/imperfective according to quadripartition by Dutch L2 learners of Spanish

1 2 3 4 5

Week of Measurement

40

60

80

100

App

eara

nce

(Per

cent

ages

)

Achievement AchievementAccomplishment Accomplishment

Accomplishment

Accomplishment AccomplishmentActivity

Activity

Activity

Activity

State State

State

State

State

Table 4: Use perfective/imperfective according to terminative/durative division of predicates

Dutch beginner students DO rely on the predicational aspect the eventuality

conveys to use the perfective/imperfective morphology of the verb

Perfective = Imperfective =

Terminative Durative

(and not on the quadripartition)

Showing that it is not always valid may be the key

towards successful instruction

(All this may mean pedagogical implications!!!)

(4) Methodological implications

Knowing the differences among the languages at stake won’t be enough

Pointing out the problem won’t be enough Analysing the acquisition problem + Understanding the theoretical

foundations behind the problem ------------------------------------------------------------

Proper understanding of the acquisition difficulties

How: via an instruction including 3 parts:

1 - instruction on terminativity in the L1 (Dutch)

2 - instruction on terminativity in the L2 (Spanish)

3 - instruction on perfectivity in the L2 (Spanish).

Conclusions The use of verbal morphology is clearly

influenced by predicational aspect In essence, the use of the perfective is

extended to all predications Application: these findings have allowed

to create a new method to teach Dutch learners of Spanish the functions of the two simple-past tenses

References: Andersen, R. (1991). Developmental sequences: the emergence of

aspect marking in second language acquisition. In T. Hueber & A. Ferguson (Eds.), Crosscurrents in SLA and linguistic theories (pp. 305-324). Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins.

Bardovi-Harlig, K. (2000). Tense and aspect in second language acquisition: form, meaning and use. Malden, MA: Blackwell.

González, P. (2003). Aspects on Aspect: Theory and Applications of Grammatical Aspect in Spanish. PhD. Dissertation. University of Utrecht. Lot series 71.

Li, P. & Shirai, Y. (2000). The acquisition of lexical and grammatical aspect. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.

Salaberry, R. (2000). The development of past tense morphology in L2 Spanish. In K. de Bot & T. Huebner (Eds.). In series Studies in Bilingualism, Vol. 22. Amsterdam/ Philadelphia: John Benjamins.

Vendler, Z. (1957). Verb and times. Philosophical Review, 66, 143-160. Verkuyl, H. J. (1999). Aspectual issues. Studies on time and quantity.

California: CLSI Publications.