Publication Date:
2017
abstract:
Aims and Objectives/Purpose/Research Questions: This paper investigates the effects of Dutch
on the tense-aspect system of heritage Ambon Malay, a variety spoken by Dutch-Ambon Malay bilinguals
in the Netherlands. The study asks whether the cross-linguistic contrasts between the two languages
– Dutch obligatorily marks past/non-past and finiteness, whereas Ambon Malay lacks a grammaticalized
expression of these distinctions – has an effect on the aspectual system of heritage Ambon Malay.
Design/Methodology/Approach: The database for the study consists of video descriptions
provided by 32 bilingual speakers (the experimental groups) and by three control groups:
27 homeland speakers of Ambon Malay, 5 first generation speakers of Ambon Malay in the
Netherlands (late bilinguals), and 10 monolingual speakers of Dutch.
Data and Analysis: The frequency and distribution of aspect markers is analysed statistically in
the four groups.
Findings/Conclusions: The analysis of the data reveals that, under the influence of Dutch, the
Ambon Malay progressive marker ada has undergone a shift in temporal status and frequency and
it is now interpreted as a marker of present tense, as well as of progressive aspect. The other two
aspect markers, the iamitive/perfective su and verbal reduplication (iterative) are used significantly
less by heritage speakers.
Originality: This study shows that when a grammatical category is present and productive in
the dominant language of a bilingual heritage speaker, but not in the heritage language, there is a
great likelihood that it will undergo contact-induced grammaticalization, even in a relatively short
time contact situation. The study also shows that input-related factors, such as transparency and
phonological salience, contribute to the (in)stability of aspectual forms in the heritage language.
Significance/Implications: This finding has implication for the incomplete acquisition
perspective on heritage languages, which sees these languages as grammatically simplified systems
(see, e.g., Montrul, 2009; Polinsky, 2008), because it shows that heritage languages can also gain
grammatical distinctions previously absent in the (homeland) language.
on the tense-aspect system of heritage Ambon Malay, a variety spoken by Dutch-Ambon Malay bilinguals
in the Netherlands. The study asks whether the cross-linguistic contrasts between the two languages
– Dutch obligatorily marks past/non-past and finiteness, whereas Ambon Malay lacks a grammaticalized
expression of these distinctions – has an effect on the aspectual system of heritage Ambon Malay.
Design/Methodology/Approach: The database for the study consists of video descriptions
provided by 32 bilingual speakers (the experimental groups) and by three control groups:
27 homeland speakers of Ambon Malay, 5 first generation speakers of Ambon Malay in the
Netherlands (late bilinguals), and 10 monolingual speakers of Dutch.
Data and Analysis: The frequency and distribution of aspect markers is analysed statistically in
the four groups.
Findings/Conclusions: The analysis of the data reveals that, under the influence of Dutch, the
Ambon Malay progressive marker ada has undergone a shift in temporal status and frequency and
it is now interpreted as a marker of present tense, as well as of progressive aspect. The other two
aspect markers, the iamitive/perfective su and verbal reduplication (iterative) are used significantly
less by heritage speakers.
Originality: This study shows that when a grammatical category is present and productive in
the dominant language of a bilingual heritage speaker, but not in the heritage language, there is a
great likelihood that it will undergo contact-induced grammaticalization, even in a relatively short
time contact situation. The study also shows that input-related factors, such as transparency and
phonological salience, contribute to the (in)stability of aspectual forms in the heritage language.
Significance/Implications: This finding has implication for the incomplete acquisition
perspective on heritage languages, which sees these languages as grammatically simplified systems
(see, e.g., Montrul, 2009; Polinsky, 2008), because it shows that heritage languages can also gain
grammatical distinctions previously absent in the (homeland) language.
Iris type:
1.1 Articolo in rivista
Keywords:
Ambon Malay; aspect; bilingualism; contact-induced grammaticalization; Dutch; heritage language; progressive marker
List of contributors:
Moro, F
Published in: