¿Qué significa ‘pasar por nativo’? Un estudio exploratorio sobre la actuación oral de usuarios muy avanzados de español y francés como segundas lenguas

Abstract

Summary in English The relationship between perceived nativelikeness and scrutinized nativelikeness is examined in very advanced L2 French and L2 Spanish. First, native speaker judges are asked to evaluate the speech of non-native speakers and native speakers of both languages, determining whether they pass as native speakers. Four non-native participants from each language group are then analyzed in more detail. Interviews with these speakers are analyzed with respect to formulaic language use and morphosyntax. No obvious differences between speakers who pass as native and those who do not are found. Subsequently, the short excerpts used in the evaluations are closely analyzed, in search for other possible differences. It is found that speakers who pass as native speakers use regional variation to a larger extent. It is thus proposed that there is no necessary connection between perceived nativelikeness and scrutinized nativelikeness and that ‘passing as a native speaker’ may be more linked to sociolinguistic competence than linguistic competence.