Predictive variables in lifelong bilingualism : an exploratory study probing the effects of L2 English on L1 Afrikaans syntax

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorBiberauer, Theresaen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorBylund, Emanuelen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorVan Heukelum, Marie-Louiseen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of General Linguistics.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2022-11-11T09:20:52Z
dc.date.accessioned2023-01-16T12:42:52Z
dc.date.available2022-11-11T09:20:52Z
dc.date.available2023-01-16T12:42:52Z
dc.date.issued2022-12
dc.descriptionThesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: This exploratory study is concerned with effects of the second language on the first (EotSLotF). It specifically aims to probe the extent to which it is possible to establish whether and, if so, how the morphosyntactic system of Afrikaans as a first language (L1) changes under the influence of English as a second language (L2) as a result of language exposure and use across the lifespan. Research focussing on EotSLotF is typically concerned with either heritage language (HL) development or L1 attrition. The present study investigates variables typical of both HL development (i.e. exposure/use in childhood/adolescence) and L1 attrition (i.e. exposure/use in adulthood), thus bringing these two sub-fields together in an attempt to deepen our understanding of how L1 Afrikaans develops under the influence of L2 English across the lifespan. Tsimpli (2014) argues for a three-way distinction in L1 grammatical development between early, late and very late properties: early properties turn on narrow syntax, while late and very late properties require syntax- and potentially language-external mapping. Similarly, studies of L1 attrition show crucial differences between early/narrow-syntax and late/interface- driven properties: the former are suggested to be less vulnerable to attrition as they incur fewer processing-related challenges. This observation is central to the so-called Interface Hypothesis (IH; Sorace & Filiaci, 2006 et seq.). This study tests the early-acquired/interface-internal versus late-acquired/interface-external asymmetry in Afrikaans-English bilinguals, a language combination and population not previously investigated within the IH framework. 166 participants in South Africa and the diaspora completed (i) a language background questionnaire, (ii) an acceptability judgement task (AJT), and (iii) a contextualised acceptability judgement task (CAJT). Five syntactic properties of Afrikaans, which differ with respect to their sensitive periods and their relationship to the interfaces, were investigated: (i) Verb Second (V2), (ii) basic sentential negation, (iii) double negation (DN), (iv) pronominal scrambling, and (v) discourse-driven scrambling. The study also takes into account sociolinguistic variation: both what is prescriptively sanctioned in Standard Afrikaans (StdA) and what is permissible in Modern Spoken Afrikaans (MsA) is investigated. The results reveal that, overall, variation indicative of EotSLotF appears to be minimal in the population under investigation. The earlier-acquired properties of the narrow syntax/internal interfaces, while not impervious to the effects of differing amounts of L1/L2 exposure and use, in particular exhibit remarkable stability. The MsA judgement patterns suggest that more frequent exposure to and use of Afrikaans is facilitative in predicting “target- like” behaviour. Where variation indicative of EotSLotF is evidenced, the patterns are, in some cases, similar to those seen in traditional HS populations. The results also suggest, however, that language-specific sociolinguistic and language-internal factors may be centrally relevant. The picture that emerges is that the IH is a useful framework for probing L1 (in)stability under the influence of an L2 in populations resembling the Afrikaans-English type. However, beyond sensitive-period and interface considerations, language-specific factors appear to play a non-trivial role in the more fine-grained shaping of the L1 grammar. These factors therefore appear to warrant special attention in research concerned with EotSLotF.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie verkennende studie is gemoeid met uitwerkings van die tweedetaal op die eerste (UvdTTodE). Die doel is spesifiek om te ondersoek tot watter mate dit moontlik is om vas te stel of en, indien wel, hoe die morfosintaktiese sisteem van Afrikaans as ’n eerstetaal (T1) verander onder die invloed van Engels as ’n tweedetaal (T2) as gevolg van taalblootstelling en -gebruik oor die lewenslange. Navorsing wat fokus op UvdTTodE is tipies gemoeid met óf erfenistaal- (ET-) ontwikkeling of T1-verswakking. Die huidige studie ondersoek veranderlikes wat kenmerkend is van beide ET-ontwikkeling (m.a.w. blootstelling/gebruik tydens kinderjare/adolessensie) en T1-verswakking (m.a.w. blootstelling/gebruik tydens volwassenheid), en bring dus hierdie twee sub-velde saam in ’n poging om ons kennis te verdiep van hoe T1-Afrikaans ontwikkel onder die invloed van T2-Engels oor die lewenslange. Tsimpli (2014) argumenteer vir ’n drieledige onderskeid in T1- grammatikale ontwikkeling tussen vroeë, laat en baie laat kenmerke: vroeë kenmerke skakel met noue sintaksis, terwyl laat en baie laat kenmerke sintaksis- en moontlik taal-eksterne- kartering benodig. Op ’n soortgelyke wyse toon studies van T1-verswakking belangrike verskille tussen vroeë/noue sintaksis- en laat/koppelvlak-gedrewe- kenmerke: daar word voorgestel dat eersgenoemde minder kwesbaar is vir verswakking aangesien hulle minder prosesseringverwante uitdagings aangaan. Hierdie waarneming is sentraal tot die sogenaamde Koppelvlak-Hipotese (KH; Sorace & Filiaci, 2006 et seq.). Hierdie studie toets die vroeg- verwerfde/koppelvlak-interne versus laat-verwerfde/koppelvlak-eksterne asimmetrie in Afrikaans-Engels tweetaliges, ’n taal-kombinasie en -gemeenskap wat nog nie voorheen ondersoek is binne die KH-raamwerk nie. 166 deelnemers in Suid-Afrika en die diaspora gebiede het die volgende voltooi: (i) ’n taalagtergrondvraelys, (ii) ’n aanvaarbaarheidsoordeeltaak (AOT), en (iii) ’n gekontekstualiseerde gepastheidsoordeeltaak (GGT). Vyf sintaktiese kenmerke van Afrikaans, wat verskil m.b.t. hul sensitiewe periodes en hul verhouding met die koppelvlakke, is ondersoek: (i) Werkwoord in die Tweede Posisie (V2), (ii) basiese sinsnegativering, (iii) dubbele negativering (DN), (iv) pronominale “scrambling”, en (v) diskoers-gedrewe “scrambling”. Die studie neem ook sosiolinguistiese variasie in ag: sowel strukture wat preskriptief goedgekeur word in Standaardafrikaans (StdA) en as die wat toelaatbaar is in Moderne Gesproke Afrikaans (MsA), word ondersoek. Die resultate toon dat, oor die algemeen, die variasie van UvdTTodE spreek, in die gemeenskap wat ondersoek word, minimaal blyk te wees. Terwyl die vroeg-verwerfde kenmerke van die noue sintaksis/interne koppelvlakke nie immuun is teen die effekte van wisselende hoeveelhede T1/T2-blootstelling en –gebruik nie, toon dit veral besondere stabiliteit. Die MsA-oordeelpatrone stel voor dat meer gereelde blootstelling aan en gebruik van Afrikaans fasiliterend is by die voorspel van “teikenagtige” gedrag. Waar variasie wat aanduidend is van UvdTTodE wel voorkom, is die patrone, in sommige gevalle, soortgelyk aan dié wat in tradisionele ET-gemeenskappe aangetref word. Die resultate wys egter ook daarop dat taal- spesifieke sosiolinguistiese en taal-interne faktore van sentrale belang mag wees. Die konklusie hier is dus dat die KH ’n nuttige raamwerk vir die ondersoek van T1- (on)stabiliteit onder die invloed van ’n T2 in gemeenskappe wat ooreenkomste toon met die Afrikaans-Engels-tipe. Nietemin, bo en behalwe sensitiewe periode- en koppelvlak-oorwegings, blyk dit dat taal-spesifieke faktore ’n nie-onbenullige rol speel in die fyner vorming van die T1- grammatika. Hierdie faktore regverdig dus spesiale aandag in navorsing rondom UvdTTodE.af_ZA
dc.description.versionDoctoralen_ZA
dc.format.extentxxiii, 514 pages : illustrations, mapsen_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/125954
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subjectGrammar, Comparative and general -- Syntaxen_ZA
dc.subjectBilingualismen_ZA
dc.subjectLanguage and languages -- Study and teaching -- Psychological aspectsen_ZA
dc.subjectMorphosyntactic systemsen_ZA
dc.subjectHeritage language developmenten_ZA
dc.subjectUCTDen_ZA
dc.titlePredictive variables in lifelong bilingualism : an exploratory study probing the effects of L2 English on L1 Afrikaans syntaxen_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
vanheukelum_predictive_2022.pdf
Size:
5.2 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
Collections
Doctoral Degrees (General Linguistics)