Chapter 11. Learning context and the development of second language Spanish

Abstract

This study examines the variation between the preterit and present perfect among 43 learners studying abroad in Chile and Spain. We compared their results to those of 105 Spanish learners in the at-home university context to determine whether our learners approached regional norms or if they followed an acquisitional pathway common to English-speaking learners of Spanish. Twenty-three native speakers from Chile, Spain, and the at-home context also completed the study. Results indicate that both study abroad groups developed similarly to each other and to the at-home learners. These findings suggest that, for variable past-time perfective marking, rather than approaching regional norms, students who participate in study abroad move along a developmental trajectory common to English-speaking learners of Spanish.