The L2 Acquisition of Spanish Subjects: Multiple Perspectives

Table of contents
Abbreviations used in glosses
Abbreviations used in text
List of tables
List of figures and graphs
Acknowledgements
1 Introduction: History and theories of second language acquisition
1.1 Formal/generative approaches
1.1.1 Universal grammar and language acquisition
1.1.2 The parametric approach in second language acquisition
1.1.3 Interface approaches
1.2 Processing models
1.3 Discourse-pragmatic approaches
1.4 The variationist approach
1.5 Concluding remarks regarding theoretical approaches to L2 acquisition
1.6 Organization of the volume
2 Subjects in Spanish
2.1 Overview of subject forms in Spanish
2.2 Syntactic properties of Spanish subjects
2.2.1 The Null Subject Parameter
2.2.2 Interpretative constraints
2.2.3 Strong agreement and Spanish subjects
2.3 Discourse-pragmatic features and Spanish subject distribution
2.3.1 Focus, topic-continuity and topic-shift
2.3.2 Cohesion, saliency and cognition
2.4 Referent features and verbal semantics in Spanish subject distribution
2.4.1 Person, number and verb semantics
2.4.2 Specificity and animacy of referents
2.5 Regional variations of Spanish subjects
2.6 Chapter summary
3 Parametric studies in the acquisition of subject pronouns
3.1 Early research into the L2 acquisition of Spanish subject pronouns
3.2 Research on the acquisition of the Overt Pronoun Constraint (OPC) and Topic/Focus
3.3 Recent studies from a parametric approach: The OPC and naturalistic input
3.4 Conflicting evidence and common findings
4 The syntax-pragmatics interface in the acquisition of subject pronouns
4.1 Cross-linguistic influence in bilinguals and the Unidirectional Hypothesis
4.2 The Unaccusative Hypothesis and word order
4.3 The OPC (again)
4.4 Person and number
4.5 Contributions of findings of the syntax-pragmatic interface model
5 Processing studies and L2 subject pronoun acquisition in Spanish
5.1 Anaphoric resolution in pro-drop languages and the PAH
5.1.1 The PAH in Italian
5.1.2 The PAH in Spanish
5.1.3 The PAH in Spanish and Italian
5.1.4 Summary of effects of the PAH in pro-drop languages
5.2 Anaphoric resolution strategies in bilingual and L2 acquisition (pro-drop and non-pro-drop languages)
5.2.1 Strategies of anaphoric resolution in Italian L2
5.2.2 Strategies of anaphoric resolution in Italian-English and Italian-Spanish bilinguals
5.3 Strategies of anaphoric resolution in Spanish heritage and L2 speakers
5.3.1 PAH biases in early (heritage) and late (L2) bilingual speakers
5.3.2 PAH biases and discourse structure in L2 learners
5.3.3 Conclusions of anaphoric resolution in bilingual and Spanish L2 speakers
5.4 Chapter summary
6 Discourse-pragmatics approaches in the acquisition of subject expression
6.1 Discourse structure and the acquisition of subject expression
6.2 Cohesion theory and the anaphoric hierarchy
6.2.1 Testing the anaphoric hierarchy and cohesion theory
6.2.2 Native speakers’ use of subject forms according to the anaphoric hierarchy
6.2.3 L2 Learners’ use of subject forms according to the anaphoric hierarchy
6.2.4 Predictions and universality of the anaphoric hierarchy
6.3 Emphasis, contrast and disambiguation
6.3.1 A longitudinal case study
6.3.2 Quantitative findings
6.3.3 Qualitative findings
6.3.4 Comparing the quantitative and qualitative findings
6.4 Pragmatic constraints of saliency, focus, and pragmatic weight
6.4.1 The rule of salient referent
6.4.2 The rule of switch focus of attention
6.4.3 The rule of contrastive focus
6.4.4 The rule of pragmatic weight
6.4.5 The rule of epistemic parentheticals
6.4.6 Saliency, focus, and pragmatic weight in L2 learners’ narrative structure
6.4.7 Results of analysis of pragmatic constraints
6.5 Cognitive status and the Givenness Hierarchy
6.5.1 Cognitive status of type identifiable and referential
6.5.2 Cognitive status of uniquely identifiable
6.5.3 Cognitive status of familiar
6.5.4 Cognitive status of activated
6.5.5 Cognitive status of in focus
6.5.6 A revised hierarchy for Spanish
6.5.7 The revised hierarchy and predicting subject use in L2 learners’ narratives
6.5.8 Results of testing the revised hierarchy
6.6 Contributions of findings of the discourse-pragmatics approach
7 A variationist approach to L2 subject pronoun acquisition
7.1 Constraining factors in variationist studies
7.1.1 Linguistic variables
7.1.2 Discourse variables
7.2 Conditioning factors in L2 variationist studies
7.2.1 Linguistic variables in L2 studies
7.2.2 Discourse variables in L2 variation studies
7.3 Chapter summary
8 Summary of findings
8.1 The parametric model
8.1.1 The initial state
8.1.2 Automatic learning of a cluster of properties
8.1.3 Acquisition along a hierarchical/implicational path
8.1.4 The role of input in resetting parameters
8.1.5 Conclusions of findings of the parametric approach
8.2 The syntax-pragmatics interface model
8.2.1 Subject pronoun use constrained by discourse context
8.2.2 Unidirectional transfer
8.2.3 Word order constrained by lexical verb class and focus
8.2.4 Subsequent vs. simultaneous acquisition of syntax and discourse-pragmatic constraints
8.2.5 Why do discourse-pragmatic deficits linger?
8.2.6 Non-uniformity of L2 acquisition
8.2.7 Conclusions of findings of the syntax-pragmatics interface model
8.3 Processing models
8.3.1 Strategies for resolving conflicting cues
8.3.2 Processing at the interface
8.3.3 Mediation between input and universal linguistic properties
8.3.4 Innate or L1 principles
8.3.5 Conclusions of findings of the processing model
8.4 Discourse-pragmatic approach
8.4.1 Discourse constraints/pragmatic rules
8.4.2 Impact of information structure in discourse
8.4.3 Predictions of implicational hierarchies
8.4.4 Universal cognitive abilities vs. language specific principles
8.4.5 Conclusions of findings of the discourse-pragmatics model
8.5 Variationist model
8.5.1 Linguistics contexts/factors and variability affecting subject expression in L2
8.5.2 Discourse contexts/factors and variability affecting subject expression in L2
8.5.3 Effects of verbal lexical semantics and variability of subject expression in L2
8.6 Common findings and concluding remarks
References
Index