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Abstract

Abstract

While the Minimalist Program argues that Spanish-English code-switches between pronominal subjects and finite verbs are ungrammatical ( ), the MLF/4-M models ( ) predict their grammaticality when overt pronouns are obligatory in both languages (e.g., contrastive focus). In this study, we test the contrary predictions of these models using a code-switching production task. Thirty-eight Spanish-English bilinguals (31 female; Age: 18–23 years) completed a concurrent memory-loaded repetition task where visual primes forced broad or contrastive focus interpretations. We also examined the effects of switch direction, code-switching frequency, and language dominance. The results showed that code-switches between a Spanish overt pronoun and an English inflected verb were more accurately produced in the contrastive focus than the broad focus condition, lending support for the MLF/4-M models. No effect of code-switching frequency was found. Finally, higher Spanish dominance resulted in more accurate production of these code-switches.

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/content/journals/10.1075/lab.21058.bus
2022-09-06
2023-12-02

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Subject pronouns in Spanish-English code-switching
John Benjamins ; https://doi.org/10.1075/lab.21058.bus
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  • Article Type: Research Article
Keywords: subject pronouns ; MLF/4-M models ; Minimalist Program approach ; code-switching ; language dominance

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