<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>One way in which language practitioners and researchers have furthered our understanding of heritage language learners’ linguistic abilities has been to compare them to L2 learners. The current study implemented this modality and examined metaphoric competence. This is one area in learners’ overall linguistic competence that provides them with access to the concepts and models of the language community and facilitates mediation during communitive tasks (Lantolf, 1999). Participants (n=16) in this study were heritage language learners and L2 learners enrolled in an advanced conversation class in Spanish. They completed an oral portfolio assignment which consisted of regularly engaging in conversation with a Spanish native speaker and recording their interactions. The analysis of their unscripted conversations included the identification of metaphoric samples and the calculation of metaphoric density. Findings revealed that learners produced what were termed true metaphors (original constructions), light metaphors (metaphoric constructions that are already established in the language), and transfer metaphors (constructions resulting from contact with the English language). Comparisons between L2 learners and heritage language learners did not reveal significant differences, which suggests that in the area of metaphoric competence these learners are more similar than not.</p></abstract>

One way in which language practitioners and researchers have furthered our understanding of heritage language learners’ linguistic abilities has been to compare them to L2 learners. The current study implemented this modality and examined metaphoric competence. This is one area in learners’ overall linguistic competence that provides them with access to the concepts and models of the language community and facilitates mediation during communitive tasks (Lantolf, 1999). Participants (n=16) in this study were heritage language learners and L2 learners enrolled in an advanced conversation class in Spanish. They completed an oral portfolio assignment which consisted of regularly engaging in conversation with a Spanish native speaker and recording their interactions. The analysis of their unscripted conversations included the identification of metaphoric samples and the calculation of metaphoric density. Findings revealed that learners produced what were termed true metaphors (original constructions), light metaphors (metaphoric constructions that are already established in the language), and transfer metaphors (constructions resulting from contact with the English language). Comparisons between L2 learners and heritage language learners did not reveal significant differences, which suggests that in the area of metaphoric competence these learners are more similar than not.

Metaphor in Spanish L2 and Heritage Language Learners’ Speech: How Does it Compare?

Sustainable Multilingualism

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

One way in which language practitioners and researchers have furthered our understanding of heritage language learners’ linguistic abilities has been to...

Metaphor in Spanish L2 and Heritage Language Learners’ Speech: How Does it Compare?

Published Online: Dec 04, 2019

Page range: 170 - 194

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sm-2019-0019

Keywords
metaphor, Spanish, L2 learners, heritage language learner, oral portfolio

© 2019 Cecilia Tocaimaza-Hatch, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Metaphor in Spanish L2 and Heritage Language Learners’ Speech: How Does it Compare?

Published Online: Dec 04, 2019

Page range: 170 - 194

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sm-2019-0019

Keywordsmetaphor, Spanish, L2 learners, heritage language learner, oral portfolio

© 2019 Cecilia Tocaimaza-Hatch, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
metaphor, Spanish, L2 learners, heritage language learner, oral portfolio