Collaborative Research: Evaluating convergence via code-switching: Cross-linguistic priming, rates and the structure of subject expression

合作研究：通过语码转换评估收敛：跨语言启动、速率和主题表达结构

• 批准号: 1019112
• 负责人: Rena Torres Cacoullos
• 金额: $ 14.84万
• 依托单位: Pennsylvania State Univ University Park
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-09-15 至 2015-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1019112&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Evaluating; convergence; via

Grammatical convergence, the achievement of structural similarity among languages, is widely considered to be an inevitable consequence of bilingualism, and code-switching, the alternation of different languages in a single speech event, has been assumed to be a key mechanism in such convergence. This study investigates the role of code-switching in promoting grammatical convergence in the long-standing New Mexican bilingual community, where there is regular code-switching between Spanish and English. This research targets patterns of first person singular subject (yo 'I') expression, and tests the hypothesis of grammatical convergence via code-switching through comparing the structure of variable first singular subject expression in (1) monolingual varieties of Spanish and English, (2) bilinguals of varying levels of bilingualism, and (3) the presence versus the absence of code-switching. Given observed effects of monolingual and bilingual structural priming, or repetition of the same grammatical form, this research is expected to demonstrate that cross-linguistic priming plays a role in ostensible convergence by modestly increasing the rate of a parallel structure in the presence of code-switching without involving change in language-particular grammatical patterns.This research advances the understanding of the language varieties spoken by bilinguals. In recording the speech of New Mexican bilinguals, it will contribute to the documentation of the oldest surviving Spanish dialect on the continent. The materials that arise from this research can be incorporated into the development of pedagogical resources for heritage language teaching at various levels throughout the United States. Finally, while labels such as "Spanglish" may imply that switching between languages involves haphazard language mixing and leads to grammatical deterioration, by showing the systematic structure of bilingual discourse, this research promotes greater public awareness of the realities of US Spanish and helps to counter the stigmatization of bilingual language varieties.

语法趋同，即语言之间结构相似性的实现，被广泛认为是双语制的必然结果，而语码转换，即在单个语音事件中不同语言的交替，被认为是这种趋同的关键机制。本研究调查了语码转换在促进长期存在的新墨西哥双语社区语法趋同方面的作用，该社区定期进行西班牙语和英语之间的语码转换。这项研究以第一人称单数主语（yo“I”）表达模式为目标，并通过比较以下变量的第一人称单数主语表达的结构来测试通过语码转换实现语法收敛的假设：（1）西班牙语和英语的单语品种，（2）不同双语水平的双语者，以及（3）存在与不存在语码转换。考虑到单语和双语结构启动或相同语法形式重复的观察到的效果，这项研究预计将证明跨语言启动在表面趋同中发挥作用，在语码转换的情况下适度增加并行结构的速率，而不涉及语言特定语法模式的变化。这项研究增进了对双语者所说的语言品种的理解。通过记录新墨西哥双语者的语音，它将有助于记录该大陆现存最古老的西班牙语方言。这项研究产生的材料可以纳入美国各级传统语言教学的教学资源开发中。最后，虽然“西班牙语”等标签可能意味着语言之间的转换涉及随意的语言混合并导致语法恶化，但通过展示双语话语的系统结构，这项研究提高了公众对美国西班牙语现实的认识，并有助于对抗双语语言品种的污名化。