The Role of Linguistic Typology, Target Language Proficiency and Prototypes in Learning Aspectual Contrasts in Italian as Additional Language
The study examines how prototypes and typological relationships between the L1, the L2 and the target language (TL) interact with TL proficiency in learning Italian as additional language. Low-proficiency and high-proficiency undergraduate learners of Italian (N = 25) with Swedish as L1 performed an...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-11-01
|
| Series: | Languages |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/6/4/184 |
| _version_ | 1797502966470541312 |
|---|---|
| author | Francesco Vallerossa |
| author_facet | Francesco Vallerossa |
| author_sort | Francesco Vallerossa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The study examines how prototypes and typological relationships between the L1, the L2 and the target language (TL) interact with TL proficiency in learning Italian as additional language. Low-proficiency and high-proficiency undergraduate learners of Italian (N = 25) with Swedish as L1 performed an oral retelling story test, aiming to elicit the Italian aspectual contrast perfective-imperfective. Their tense selection was analyzed considering the predicates’ lexical aspect and the learners’ knowledge of a Romance L2, or lack thereof. The findings show that the typological proximity between the L2 and the TL exerts a differential role depending on TL proficiency. Initially, it is beneficial for accelerating the overall emergence of the <i>imperfetto</i> as an aspectual marker. However, the prototype factor and, more specifically, the predicates’ dynamicity influences the selection of past inflectional morphology. At more advanced stages, knowledge of a Romance language helps learners move beyond prototypical associations with the <i>passato prossimo</i>, but it does not seem to influence the use of the <i>imperfetto</i> among high-proficiency learners. These results are discussed in the light of research on the second and additional language learning of aspectual contrasts in Romance languages. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:43:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3757705f632b453285dcd3b3dd4904c2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2226-471X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:43:44Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Languages |
| spelling | doaj.art-3757705f632b453285dcd3b3dd4904c22023-11-23T09:12:28ZengMDPI AGLanguages2226-471X2021-11-016418410.3390/languages6040184The Role of Linguistic Typology, Target Language Proficiency and Prototypes in Learning Aspectual Contrasts in Italian as Additional LanguageFrancesco Vallerossa0Department of Language Education, Stockholm University, Universitetsvägen 10E, SE-106 91 Stockholm, SwedenThe study examines how prototypes and typological relationships between the L1, the L2 and the target language (TL) interact with TL proficiency in learning Italian as additional language. Low-proficiency and high-proficiency undergraduate learners of Italian (N = 25) with Swedish as L1 performed an oral retelling story test, aiming to elicit the Italian aspectual contrast perfective-imperfective. Their tense selection was analyzed considering the predicates’ lexical aspect and the learners’ knowledge of a Romance L2, or lack thereof. The findings show that the typological proximity between the L2 and the TL exerts a differential role depending on TL proficiency. Initially, it is beneficial for accelerating the overall emergence of the <i>imperfetto</i> as an aspectual marker. However, the prototype factor and, more specifically, the predicates’ dynamicity influences the selection of past inflectional morphology. At more advanced stages, knowledge of a Romance language helps learners move beyond prototypical associations with the <i>passato prossimo</i>, but it does not seem to influence the use of the <i>imperfetto</i> among high-proficiency learners. These results are discussed in the light of research on the second and additional language learning of aspectual contrasts in Romance languages.https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/6/4/184tense-aspectItalianadditional language learningproficiency |
| spellingShingle | Francesco Vallerossa The Role of Linguistic Typology, Target Language Proficiency and Prototypes in Learning Aspectual Contrasts in Italian as Additional Language Languages tense-aspect Italian additional language learning proficiency |
| title | The Role of Linguistic Typology, Target Language Proficiency and Prototypes in Learning Aspectual Contrasts in Italian as Additional Language |
| title_full | The Role of Linguistic Typology, Target Language Proficiency and Prototypes in Learning Aspectual Contrasts in Italian as Additional Language |
| title_fullStr | The Role of Linguistic Typology, Target Language Proficiency and Prototypes in Learning Aspectual Contrasts in Italian as Additional Language |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Linguistic Typology, Target Language Proficiency and Prototypes in Learning Aspectual Contrasts in Italian as Additional Language |
| title_short | The Role of Linguistic Typology, Target Language Proficiency and Prototypes in Learning Aspectual Contrasts in Italian as Additional Language |
| title_sort | role of linguistic typology target language proficiency and prototypes in learning aspectual contrasts in italian as additional language |
| topic | tense-aspect Italian additional language learning proficiency |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2226-471X/6/4/184 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT francescovallerossa theroleoflinguistictypologytargetlanguageproficiencyandprototypesinlearningaspectualcontrastsinitalianasadditionallanguage AT francescovallerossa roleoflinguistictypologytargetlanguageproficiencyandprototypesinlearningaspectualcontrastsinitalianasadditionallanguage |