Comparative grammar and the relationship between syntax and morphology: The status of N-N compounds and complex predicates in the non-native Spanish of French and English speakers.

Abstract

In this study we investigate the status of N-N compounds and resultative constructions in the L2 Spanish of native French and native English speakers in light of the "compounding parameter" (Snyder 1995). This parameter states that a language allows the production of complex predicates if it permits the marking of open-class items to be marked (+affixal). While the parameter has been proposed for L1 acquisition, in the present study we analyze L2 acquisition data in order to explore first, whether or not a parametric relationship between these constructions indeed exists, second, to what extent the L1 plays a role in L2 acquisition, and finally, ultimate attainment. The data provided evidence for transfer from the L1 for the English subjects. They also showed that ultimate attainment was native-like only in the case of the N-N compounds. The results did not provide evidence supporting a parametric relationship between N-N compounds and resultatives.