Cross-linguistic transfer of core aspectual conceptualizations in Portuguese and Spanish

Abstract

Aspect is a complex grammatical concept inherently affected by contextual information. Such complexity may be determined by stark contrasts between levels of information and layers of context affecting its interpretation. Convergence in aspectual interpretation decreases as layers of contextual information increase. Complexity is added as we expand the range of cross-linguistic interpretations. This chapter analyzes data of L2 Spanish and L2 Portuguese and of native speakers of both languages to assess the possible equivalence of aspectual knowledge, and, by extension, the possible cross-linguistic transfer. Results show a significant level of consistency across Portuguese and Spanish regarding aspectual interpretations, providing ground for the theoretical argument that invariant aspectual meanings and the different layers of contextual information are dynamically intertwined.

Telic for whom? The Lexical Underspecification Hypothesis

“…Others highlight the importance of discourse-pragmatic factors and narrative backgrounding or foregrounding (Bardovi-Harlig 1995). It is unlikely that an L2 beginner's competence encompasses all these layers of contextual information, and learners may instead rely on some core aspectual properties of verbs that they carry over in any communicative contexts, maybe from their first language (Salaberry and Martins 2014: 340).…”