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CLASSROOM LEARNERS’ ACQUISITION OF THE SPANISH COPULA WITH ADJECTIVES

THE CASE OF KOREAN LEARNERS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 June 2021

Avizia Yim Long Open the ORCID record for Avizia Yim Long [Opens in a new window]
Avizia Yim Long*
Affiliation:
San José State University
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Avizia Yim Long, Department of World Languages and Literatures, San José State University, 1 Washington Square, San José, CA 95192. E-mail: avizia.long@sjsu.edu
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Abstract

Research on the second language (L2) acquisition of the Spanish copulas has been central to our understanding of key concepts and issues in the field of SLA such as stages of development and variability in L2s. However, this research has focused nearly exclusively on native English-speaking learners. The present study examined native Korean-speaking learners’ acquisition and use of the Spanish copulas with adjectives in oral production. Analyses of the range and frequency of copula forms produced across four levels of Spanish language study revealed an increase in ser and estar use and a decrease in developmental omission as learner level increased. Predicate type, resultant state, and Spanish grammar score significantly influenced use of estar over ser. Comparison with native English-speaking learners revealed differences between first language groups in terms of rates of form use, but similar developmental trends and predictors of estar use overall.

Type
Research Article
Information
Studies in Second Language Acquisition , Volume 44 , Issue 1 , March 2022 , pp. 228 - 254
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

I would like to thank Fernando Moros for his assistance in recruiting participants for the present study, Kimberly Geeslin for her encouragement and support throughout the writing process, Megan Solon for revising the first version of this manuscript and helping me prepare it for review, and the helpful comments and suggestions of the reviewers who helped me strengthen my delivery of this work. All remaining errors are my own.

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