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Acquiring intensifier variation abroad: Exploring muy and bien in Spain and Mexico
Author(s) -
Kanwit Matthew,
Elias Vanessa,
Clay Rebecca
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
foreign language annals
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.258
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1944-9720
pISSN - 0015-718X
DOI - 10.1111/flan.12335
Subject(s) - variation (astronomy) , competence (human resources) , latin americans , parallels , preference , selection (genetic algorithm) , linguistics , humanities , psychology , art , philosophy , social psychology , mathematics , statistics , computer science , artificial intelligence , mechanical engineering , physics , astrophysics , engineering
Research on nativelike variation in second language (L2) systems indicates that learners studying abroad may adapt to regional norms as they build sociolinguistic competence (e.g., Kanwit & Solon, [Kanwit, M., 2013]; Salgado‐Robles, [Salgado‐Robles, F., 2014]). Spanish exhibits variation between the intensifiers muy [very] and bien [very] across numerous dialects. Recent research has shown greater preference for bien in Latin America than in Spain (Brown & Cortés‐Torres, [Brown, E. L., 2013]; Kanwit, Terán, & Pisabarro Sarrió, [Kanwit, M., 2017]). Nevertheless, variable intensification in L2 Spanish remains uninvestigated. Data showed that learners studying in Mérida, Mexico, selected bien significantly more than did learners in Oviedo, Spain, at the conclusion of a 6‐week stay abroad. This parallels the significantly higher selection on the same task by local Spaniards compared to local Mexican native speakers. Nonetheless, independent linguistic variables played a less straightforward role.