Languages

21 pages, 1025 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of Prosody and Information Structure in Licensing Ellipsis: Particle Stranding Ellipsis in Japanese

by Mizuki Sakamoto and Jo Wakashiba

Languages 2025, 10(11), 280; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10110280 - 4 Nov 2025

Japanese noun phrases typically consist of nouns and particles, but there is an ellipsis phenomenon called Particle Stranding Ellipsis (PSE) where nouns are elided with a particle left. A PF-based deletion analysis of PSE has been proposed, but there are several criticisms against [...] Read more.

Japanese noun phrases typically consist of nouns and particles, but there is an ellipsis phenomenon called Particle Stranding Ellipsis (PSE) where nouns are elided with a particle left. A PF-based deletion analysis of PSE has been proposed, but there are several criticisms against it. Thus, it remains elusive what condition is imposed on the licensing of PSE. In this paper, we will formulate a finer-grained phonological theorization of PSE. Our analysis employs a phonological constraint, StrongStart, and information structural factors like givenness and foci, and characterizes PSE as an edge deletion applying to pragmatically given materials at the left edge of intonation phrases. Under this analysis, information structure plays an important role in ellipsis licensing: givenness feeds and foci bleed PSE. We demonstrate that this analysis can handle data that is problematic for the previous string deletion approach. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Issues in Ellipsis and Ellipsis Mismatch: Studies in Japanese and Beyond)

24 pages, 2108 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Self-Access Web-Based Pragmatic Instruction and L2 Proficiency on EFL Students’ Email Request Production and Confidence

by Sonia López-Serrano, Alicia Martínez-Flor and Ariadna Sánchez-Hernández

Languages 2025, 10(11), 279; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10110279 - 31 Oct 2025

Abstract

The present study pursued three objectives: (i) to examine whether self-access web-based instruction could significantly improve EFL students’ ability to formulate pragmatically appropriate email requests; (ii) to determine whether L2 proficiency influenced students’ pragmatic performance and their gains following instruction; and (iii) to [...] Read more.

The present study pursued three objectives: (i) to examine whether self-access web-based instruction could significantly improve EFL students’ ability to formulate pragmatically appropriate email requests; (ii) to determine whether L2 proficiency influenced students’ pragmatic performance and their gains following instruction; and (iii) to explore changes in learners’ confidence when evaluating the appropriateness of their own email requests. Sixty-eight first-year English Studies students at a Spanish university completed a five-week intervention integrated into their curriculum. Their L2 proficiency was assessed using the Oxford Placement Test, which categorized them into B1 (n = 22), B2 (n = 23), and C1 (n = 23) levels. Using a pre–post-test design, learners’ performance was assessed through email tasks varying in imposition, and their confidence was measured via Likert-scale ratings. Results showed statistically significant improvements across all dimensions of an analytic rubric—particularly in request appropriateness and organization—indicating that self-access instruction effectively enhanced learners’ pragmatic competence. Gains were similar across the three proficiency groups, with B2 students showing slightly higher though not statistically significant improvements. Participants also reported significantly increased confidence in evaluating their own email appropriateness post-intervention. Findings support the integration of self-access pragmatic resources into EFL curricula to develop academic communication skills in higher education contexts. Full article

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25 pages, 3707 KB

Open AccessArticle

Scope Without Scope Economy in Null Argument Constructions

by Bum-Sik Park and Sei-Rang Oh

Languages 2025, 10(11), 278; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10110278 - 31 Oct 2025

Abstract

Building on Fox’s Scope Economy, Takahashi proposes an analysis of scope interactions in Japanese null argument constructions. Scope Economy prevents covert scope-shifting operations such as Quantifier Raising (QR) from being semantically vacuous. Equating scrambling of Japanese null arguments with QR, Takahashi argues that [...] Read more.

Building on Fox’s Scope Economy, Takahashi proposes an analysis of scope interactions in Japanese null argument constructions. Scope Economy prevents covert scope-shifting operations such as Quantifier Raising (QR) from being semantically vacuous. Equating scrambling of Japanese null arguments with QR, Takahashi argues that null arguments are also subject to Scope Economy and thus exhibit the same scope asymmetries observed in English VP-ellipsis. In this paper, we examine Korean null argument constructions, which exhibit the same patterns as their Japanese counterparts, and argue that Takahashi’s Scope Economy-based account falls short of capturing the full range of scope facts. Specifically, we show that scope asymmetries persist even when Scope Economy-violating scrambling takes place. This problem is not confined to null argument constructions but also arises in fragments. We argue that Schwarzschild’s GIVENness constraint, in conjunction with Parallelism, accounts for scope patterns in Korean null argument constructions, without recourse to Scope Economy. We further suggest that the proposed analysis can extend to English, thereby undermining the necessity of Scope Economy in both languages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Issues in Ellipsis and Ellipsis Mismatch: Studies in Japanese and Beyond)

22 pages, 4168 KB

Open AccessReview

How a Simple Increase in the Number of Items Can Enhance the Reliability of Linguistic Judgments: The Case of Island Experiments

by Gert-Jan Thomas Schoenmakers

Languages 2025, 10(11), 277; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10110277 - 31 Oct 2025

Abstract

Replication is an important aspect of experimental research and it is therefore crucial that participant-level measures (e.g., judgment scores) are reliable. Reliability refers to the precision of measurement and thus informs the replicability of experiments: more precise measurements are more dependable for future [...] Read more.

Replication is an important aspect of experimental research and it is therefore crucial that participant-level measures (e.g., judgment scores) are reliable. Reliability refers to the precision of measurement and thus informs the replicability of experiments: more precise measurements are more dependable for future reference. Formally defined as the ratio of true score variance to the total variance, reliability can be achieved by fine-tuning the measurement instrument or by collecting a sufficiently large number of observations per participant, as averaging over more items reduces the influence of random item-specific noise and yields a more precise estimate of participants’ true scores. The present paper uses Generalizability Theory to estimate the reliability of participant scores in 52 distinct datasets from studies that used comparable experimental designs to investigate different types of island effects in different languages. Effect sizes (DD-scores) are commonly reported and used for comparative purposes in discussions on island effects. The present paper argues that caution is warranted when island effect sizes are compared: the analyses reveal that participant-level reliability in island experiments is moderate, but that increasing the number of items to six per condition enhances measurement precision. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Syntactic Islands)

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23 pages, 470 KB

Open AccessArticle

Dizque in Andean Spanish and Beyond

by Gabriel Martínez Vera

Languages 2025, 10(11), 276; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10110276 - 30 Oct 2025

Abstract

This paper examines the reportative evidential dizque in Andean Spanish as spoken in Ecuador and Peru. Taking, as a starting point, the synchronic and diachronic syntactic analyses of this type of markers in Romance that have been discussed in the literature, I propose [...] Read more.

This paper examines the reportative evidential dizque in Andean Spanish as spoken in Ecuador and Peru. Taking, as a starting point, the synchronic and diachronic syntactic analyses of this type of markers in Romance that have been discussed in the literature, I propose an analysis that makes explicit how their syntax is mapped into semantics, and provide a semantics that captures the evidential and lack of certainty implications of dizque. I argue that expressions with dizque must be uttered when reportative evidence is available to the speaker, and, building on previous literature, that the lack of certainty flavor that these expressions have is a not-at-issue entailment. I show a number of consequences that follow from this kind of approach. I further point out how my proposal can capture the cross-Romance variation that is found in this domain, and discuss some key differences between dizque and other reportative evidentials cross-linguistically in connection to the expression of lack of certainty. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Shifting Borders: Spanish Morphosyntax in Contact Zones)

28 pages, 1560 KB

Open AccessArticle

Intensification Strategies in English–Spanish Bilingual Speech: Examining Lexical and Morphological Markers in Miami Bilinguals’ Discourse

by Simon A. Claassen, Renata Enghels and M. Carmen Parafita Couto

Languages 2025, 10(11), 275; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10110275 - 30 Oct 2025

Abstract

This paper investigates the speech variety of the English–Spanish community of Miami, which features a high degree of English–Spanish bilingualism. Specifically, it explores intensification, a site of analytic–synthetic conflict between English and Spanish grammars. English predominantly uses lexical-analytic strategies (e.g., very beautiful, [...] Read more.

This paper investigates the speech variety of the English–Spanish community of Miami, which features a high degree of English–Spanish bilingualism. Specifically, it explores intensification, a site of analytic–synthetic conflict between English and Spanish grammars. English predominantly uses lexical-analytic strategies (e.g., very beautiful, a big house) for intensification, whereas Spanish employs more morphological-synthetic markers (e.g., guapísimo ‘very beautiful’, un casón ‘a big house’). Concretely, the current study aims to investigate whether Miami bilinguals have preferences in terms of the language or strategy of choice to express intensification and whether these preferences are influenced by intralinguistic (e.g., semantic-pragmatic function of the intensifier) or extralinguistic factors (e.g., speakers’ proficiency in, acquisition of, and attitudes toward both languages). To this end, an empirical study is conducted on three corpora, one bilingual and two monolingual ones. In this study, a wide variety of both analytic and synthetic intensifiers is found. The qualitative and quantitative findings reveal that Miami bilinguals use more English than Spanish intensifiers and favor analytic intensifiers over synthetic ones. However, among the Spanish intensifiers, the proportion of synthetic forms is significantly higher than among the English intensifiers. Full article

28 pages, 1964 KB

Open AccessArticle

Aspectual Architecture of the Slavic Verb and Its Nominal Analogies

by Petr Biskup

Languages 2025, 10(11), 274; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10110274 - 29 Oct 2025

Abstract

It has been argued that there are analogies between the nominal domain and the verbal domain in natural languages. Most approaches dealing with these analogies in Slavic languages investigate them from the semantic and aspectual points of view. In contrast to them, this [...] Read more.

It has been argued that there are analogies between the nominal domain and the verbal domain in natural languages. Most approaches dealing with these analogies in Slavic languages investigate them from the semantic and aspectual points of view. In contrast to them, this article focuses on morphosyntactic parallels. It investigates all five aspectual markers of verbal predicates: prefixes, the secondary imperfective, the semelfactive morpheme, the iterative -a and the habitual suffix. The analysis follows the Distributed Morphology framework. This article addresses the question of which morphosyntactic correspondences these aspectual markers have in the nominal domain. It is argued that the iterative secondary imperfective is a parallel of the nominal number projection and that the habitual morpheme in North Slavic languages is the counterpart of the nominal determiner. Verbal prefixes are analogous to nominal classifiers, and in addition, lexical prefixes parallel the nominal complement, and superlexical prefixes correspond to adjectival modifiers of the nominal domain. The internal iterative -a, as a spell-out of the verbal categorizing head, is analogous to the categorizing head of nouns. Thus, it is argued that Slavic also has event-internal and event-external pluractional markers. The semelfactive morpheme parallels the singulative (diminutive) marker of the nominal domain, and we argue that these markers adjoin to the root before the categorizing head. This argues against the standard claim that semelfactives are derived from iteratives (multiplicatives). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Aspectual Architecture of the Slavic Verb: Analogies in Different Languages and Other Grammatical Domains)

29 pages, 1961 KB

Open AccessArticle

Developing an AI-Powered Pronunciation Application to Improve English Pronunciation of Thai ESP Learners

by Jiraporn Lao-un and Dararat Khampusaen

Languages 2025, 10(11), 273; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10110273 - 28 Oct 2025

Abstract

This study examined the effects of using specially designed AI-mediated pronunciation application in enhancing the production of English fricative consonants among Thai English for Specific Purposes (ESP) learners. The research utilized a quasi-experimental design involving intact classes of 74 undergraduate students majoring in [...] Read more.

This study examined the effects of using specially designed AI-mediated pronunciation application in enhancing the production of English fricative consonants among Thai English for Specific Purposes (ESP) learners. The research utilized a quasi-experimental design involving intact classes of 74 undergraduate students majoring in Thai Dance and Music Education, divided into control (N = 38) and experimental (N = 36) groups. Grounded in Skill Acquisition Theory, the experimental group received pronunciation training via a custom-designed AI application leveraging automatic speech recognition (ASR), offering ESP contextualized practices, real-time, and individualized feedback. In contrast, the control group underwent traditional teacher-led articulatory and teacher-assisted feedback. Pre- and post-test evaluations measured pronunciation for nine target fricatives in ESP-relevant contexts. The statistical analyses revealed significant improvements in both groups, with the AI-mediated group demonstrating substantially greater gains, particularly on challenging sounds absent in Thai, such as /θ/, /ð/, /z/, /ʃ/, and /h/. The findings underscore the potential of AI-driven interventions to address language-specific phonological challenges through personalized, immediate feedback and adaptive practices. The study provides empirical evidence for integrating advanced technology into ESP pronunciation pedagogy, informing future curriculum design for EFL contexts. Implications for theory, practice, and future research are discussed, emphasizing tailored technological solutions for language learners with specific phonological profiles. Full article

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19 pages, 653 KB

Open AccessArticle

Parallels Between Second Language Mastery and Musical Proficiency: Individual Differences in Auditory Phonological Pattern Recognition

by Markus Christiner and Christine Groß

Languages 2025, 10(11), 272; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10110272 - 27 Oct 2025

Abstract

Research has shown that language ability can vary enormously depending on variables such as musical ability, musical training, and second and/or foreign language experience. In this study, we simulated initial foreign language learning conditions in which learners must recognize and match unfamiliar language [...] Read more.

Research has shown that language ability can vary enormously depending on variables such as musical ability, musical training, and second and/or foreign language experience. In this study, we simulated initial foreign language learning conditions in which learners must recognize and match unfamiliar language input. We recruited 500 participants with different levels of foreign language experience, different levels of musical training and different socio-economic backgrounds. Their auditory phonological pattern recognition ability, short-term memory (STM) capacity, musical ability, musical self-estimation, educational status, and socio-economic status (SES) were assessed. Both overall and group-specific analyses were conducted to investigate the impact of these variables. For the group-specific analysis, participants were assigned to four groups based on the presence or absence of musical training and extensive foreign language experience. For the overall analysis, regression models were applied to the entire sample to examine the combined effects of all variables. Group-specific analyses revealed that both musical training and extensive foreign language experience contributed to individual differences in the ability to recognize phonological patterns in unintelligible auditory stimuli. A key finding was that musical training appeared to have a stronger influence on auditory phonological pattern recognition than extensive foreign language experience, particularly in the early stages of language learning. This suggests that musical training may exert a greater impact on initial phonetic acquisition processes than extensive foreign language proficiency, especially when the language stimuli are relatively poor in linguistic content. The overall analysis revealed that musical variables, short-term memory capacity, socioeconomic status, and educational status all contributed to individual differences in auditory phonological pattern recognition. Notably, the most significant finding of the overall analysis was the association between SES and auditory phonological pattern recognition in unfamiliar speech—a result that challenges the notion of aptitude measures as stable and environment-independent and highlights the potential influence of environmental factors on this capacity. Full article

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32 pages, 30984 KB

Open AccessArticle

When Language Maintenance Means Language Shift: Tibetan as an Heritage Language in Amdo Families in France

by Camille Simon

Languages 2025, 10(11), 271; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10110271 - 26 Oct 2025

Abstract

This paper explores the initial steps of transgenerational language change in exile by comparing the varieties of “Common” Tibetan as spoken by parents born in Amdo, Tibet, and by their teenager children, born in Tibet or in South Asia, who arrived in France [...] Read more.

This paper explores the initial steps of transgenerational language change in exile by comparing the varieties of “Common” Tibetan as spoken by parents born in Amdo, Tibet, and by their teenager children, born in Tibet or in South Asia, who arrived in France at an early age and who have spent all or most of their schooling in France. In these families, the parents speak a variety of Amdo Tibetan as their first language, which does not allow for inter-comprehension with “Common” Tibetan. They have acquired “Common” Tibetan during their stay in South Asia before they moved to France. The paper follows a descriptive approach to analyze the structural (dis)similarities between the parents’ and the children’s varieties of “Common” Tibetan. It also documents intra-generational variation (1) within the parents’ generation, where we can observe a variable extent of retention for Amdo Tibetic features, and (2) within the children’s generation, where variation is usually due more to the (often contact-induced) linguistic changes than to the retention of some of their parents’ linguistic features. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue From Migrant to Heritage Languages: Transgenerational Language Change in Diasporic Communities)

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15 pages, 307 KB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluative Morphology and the Syntax of Adjectives in Italian

by Denis Delfitto and Chiara Melloni

Languages 2025, 10(11), 270; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10110270 - 24 Oct 2025

Abstract

This paper addresses a well-known puzzle at the intersection of morphology and syntax: the categorical exclusion of adjectives modified by evaluative morphology from prenominal position in Italian. While Italian allows many adjectives to occur both pre- and postnominally, adjectives like piccolino, ‘little-dim’, [...] Read more.

This paper addresses a well-known puzzle at the intersection of morphology and syntax: the categorical exclusion of adjectives modified by evaluative morphology from prenominal position in Italian. While Italian allows many adjectives to occur both pre- and postnominally, adjectives like piccolino, ‘little-dim’, are strictly postnominal (cane piccolino, lit. ‘dog little-dim’ vs. *piccolino cane, ‘little-dim dog’), a distribution not fully explained by their proposed predicative or intersective nature. Drawing on degree semantics and trope theory, we argue that this constraint arises from an incompatibility between two distinct interpretive strategies. Prenominal adjectives undergo a syntactically driven semantic shift, whereby the noun triggers a trope-based interpretation of the adjective, redefining the meaning of the A-N complex. In contrast, evaluative morphology operates through a pragmatically driven strategy, contributing speaker-oriented, context-sensitive meaning to the adjective. Crucially, these two strategies are mutually exclusive: an adjective modified by evaluative morphology has already undergone pragmatic reinterpretation and cannot simultaneously participate in the compositional syntactic process required for prenominal placement. This explains why adjectives with evaluative suffixes are excluded from prenominal contexts, despite often yielding intersective interpretations postnominally. Our proposal accounts for this distributional asymmetry without resorting to stipulations and suggests that certain interpretive procedures are not recursively applicable across syntax and pragmatics. Ultimately, this study sheds new light on a principled interface constraint linking syntactic distribution, morphological derivation and pragmatic interpretation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Morpho(phono)logy/Syntax Interface)

19 pages, 562 KB

Open AccessArticle

Constructive Dynamic Syntax

by Stergios Chatzikyriakidis

Languages 2025, 10(11), 269; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10110269 - 23 Oct 2025

Abstract

This paper explores the integration of constructive type theory in the tradition of Martin Löf into Dynamic Syntax. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Development of Dynamic Syntax)

20 pages, 1691 KB

Open AccessArticle

Towards an Integrative Approach to EFL and ESL: Comparing English in Cyprus and Greece

by Sarah Buschfeld

Languages 2025, 10(11), 268; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10110268 - 23 Oct 2025

Abstract

As has repeatedly been pointed out in recent years, the categories ESL/Outer Circle and EFL/Expanding Circle should not be considered as clear-cut as traditionally assumed. Consequently, recent research has made first attempts for an integrative approach to Englishes traditionally ascribed to one of [...] Read more.

As has repeatedly been pointed out in recent years, the categories ESL/Outer Circle and EFL/Expanding Circle should not be considered as clear-cut as traditionally assumed. Consequently, recent research has made first attempts for an integrative approach to Englishes traditionally ascribed to one of these categories. The paper at hand introduces the Extra- and Intra-territorial Forces Model (EIF Model) as a successful attempt to bridge the traditional gap between the two categories and shows how the model works in practice by implementation to the cases of Greece and Cyprus. These two countries are particularly interesting for the application of this framework since their linguistic ecologies, with Greek and English in contact, are essentially similar. From a historical perspective, however, they are fundamentally different; Cyprus is a former colony of the British Empire, whereas Greece has never experienced British colonization. Therefore, the two countries offer the perfect basis for putting the traditional categories of EFL and ESL to the test and for illustrating how more recent models of World Englishes, such as the EIF Model, might offer more flexible theoretical alternatives to earlier, often more rigid theoretical approaches. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sociolinguistic Variation and Change: Focus on English as a Second and Foreign Language)

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6 pages, 210 KB

Open AccessEditorial

Introduction: Perception and Processing of Address Terms

by Helen de Hoop and Gert-Jan Schoenmakers

Languages 2025, 10(10), 267; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10100267 - 17 Oct 2025

Abstract

People can address each other in many ways, and this can be studied in many ways too [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Perception and Processing of Address Terms)

25 pages, 360 KB

Open AccessArticle

Functions of Discourse Markers in Nonnative English Speech: The Case of Arab English Speakers

by Sharif Alghazo, Nour Alkhatib, Ghaleb Rababáh and Muath Algazo

Languages 2025, 10(10), 266; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10100266 - 15 Oct 2025

Abstract

This study examines the use and functions of discourse markers (DMs) in nonnative English speech produced by Arab English speakers. Four DMs (and, but, so, y’know) are analysed based on two theoretical frameworks: Schiffrin’s (1987) framework of functions [...] Read more.

This study examines the use and functions of discourse markers (DMs) in nonnative English speech produced by Arab English speakers. Four DMs (and, but, so, y’know) are analysed based on two theoretical frameworks: Schiffrin’s (1987) framework of functions of DMs and Schourup’s (1999) characterisation of DMs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 Arab English speakers. The findings show clear patterns in the participants’ use of DMs. The marker and is mainly used for its ideational function, that is, for connecting ideas, events, and positions to keep the discourse together, while pragmatic functions, such as continuing an action or turn organisation, are less represented. But is mainly used for its ideational function, indicating contrastive ideas; less frequently, it is used for such pragmatic functions as returning to a topic, making disclaimers, reclaims, or showing functional contrasts. In contrast, so demonstrates a broader range of functions; while it occasionally marks results at the ideational level, it is extensively utilised pragmatically for marking claims, compliance, requests, and topic transitions, as well as managing turn initiation and adjacency pairs. y’know is used for such pragmatic functions as organising shared knowledge, signalling significant information or disapproval in stories, and appealing. Overall, the findings in the study suggest that, in the narrative register, when using DMs, Arab English speakers rely chiefly on their ideational functions. In contrast, their pragmatic functions are used much less, except for so and y’know, which also show more diversified functions. Full article

15 pages, 272 KB

Open AccessEditorial

Dialectal Dynamics—An Introduction

by Alfred Lameli, Simonetta Montemagni and John Nerbonne

Languages 2025, 10(10), 265; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10100265 - 15 Oct 2025

Abstract

The study of dialects leads very naturally to the study of their geographic distribution and the nature of the distribution, e.g., by examining whether the distribution is based simply on geographic distance or on relatively distinct dialect regions. Dialectal dynamics poses the further [...] Read more.

The study of dialects leads very naturally to the study of their geographic distribution and the nature of the distribution, e.g., by examining whether the distribution is based simply on geographic distance or on relatively distinct dialect regions. Dialectal dynamics poses the further question of why the distribution takes the form it does. Does variation arise through migration, i.e., due to the relative lack of communication among people who live far from one another? Sociolinguists have shown convincingly that variation is often employed to indicate identification with others, leading to the adoption of speech habits and changes in the distribution of variation. Purely linguistic processes may push some varieties toward change while others are more resistant, and contact with other languages and dialects, including particularly standard languages, almost inevitably results in changes. This volume examines studies in the area of dialectal dynamics, including studies focused on methods that promise to illuminate this complex field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dialectal Dynamics)

25 pages, 548 KB

Open AccessArticle

Beyond the Classroom Walls: Study Abroad and the Acquisition of Sociostylistic Variation in L2 French

by Kristen Kennedy Terry

Languages 2025, 10(10), 264; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10100264 - 14 Oct 2025

Abstract

This longitudinal study examines the acquisition of target-like patterns of phonological variation by 17 second language (L2) French learners during a semester or year of study abroad (SA) in France. In this study, speech data from sociolinguistic interviews conducted before, during, and after [...] Read more.

This longitudinal study examines the acquisition of target-like patterns of phonological variation by 17 second language (L2) French learners during a semester or year of study abroad (SA) in France. In this study, speech data from sociolinguistic interviews conducted before, during, and after the SA period provide evidence for the emergent acquisition of a phonological variable showing sociostylistic variation in first language (L1) speech: the reduction of word-final obstruent-liquid clusters, as in: notre maison [no tʁ(ə) mɛ ʒɔ̃] ~ [not mɛ ʒɔ̃] ‘our house’; c’est incroyable [se tɛ̃ kʁɔ ja bl(ə)] ~ [se tɛ̃ kʁɔ jab] ‘it’s incredible’. Additionally, speech data are compared and correlated with the results of a social network strength scale designed by the researcher for the SA learning context. Results suggest that sociostylistic variation patterns among learners are constrained by linguistic factors similar to those operating on L1 speech, such as lexical effects, and that time in the target language (TL) environment is a significant predictor of variation. Results also demonstrate that although social network strength is not a significant predictor of variation at a group level, speaker gender is, and learner patterns reflect the gendered speech norms of the TL community. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Language Acquisition and Sociolinguistic Studies)

26 pages, 2644 KB

Open AccessArticle

Humor as a Structure-Creating Mechanism: A Case of Recent Diachrony in Contemporary Spanish

by Salvador Pons Bordería

Languages 2025, 10(10), 263; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10100263 - 14 Oct 2025

Abstract

Despite the extensive body of research on the social aspects of humor, relatively few studies consider humor as an active element in the formation of linguistic structure (in the structuralist sense). In this regard, the present paper explores the role of humor in [...] Read more.

Despite the extensive body of research on the social aspects of humor, relatively few studies consider humor as an active element in the formation of linguistic structure (in the structuralist sense). In this regard, the present paper explores the role of humor in the diachronic evolution of qué…ni que-insubordinate structures in Contemporary Spanish and outlines a possible integration of humor into an interactive construction grammar (Croft, 2001). Full article

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5 pages, 213 KB

Open AccessReply

Further Argumentation for Conflict Adaptation Not Being Domain General: Response to Novick et al. (2025)

by Varvara Kuz, Fangzhou Cai, Keyue Chen, Jiaxin Chen, Xuzi Qi, Clement Veall, Yuanqi Zheng, Zhengping Xu and Andrea Santi

Languages 2025, 10(10), 262; https://doi.org/10.3390/languages10100262 - 14 Oct 2025

Abstract

We agree with the commentary that discrepant results across cross-task conflict adaptation studies are likely explained by methodological differences. Considering additional studies and paradigms, we argue that, collectively, the weight of the evidence suggests conflict adaptation is domain-specific; the exception being the visual [...] Read more.

We agree with the commentary that discrepant results across cross-task conflict adaptation studies are likely explained by methodological differences. Considering additional studies and paradigms, we argue that, collectively, the weight of the evidence suggests conflict adaptation is domain-specific; the exception being the visual world paradigm. Further argumentation is provided for why the visual world paradigm may in fact be showing domain-specific conflict adaptation within visual attentional control. The additional methodological concerns raised in the commentary about our study either do not appear consistently across all of our experiments or we provide further data or argumentation to demonstrate they are in fact not a concern. Our original article did not claim that cognitive control does not apply in language processing, but that a domain-specific account of cognitive control may be feasible and should be explored in future work. Full article

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