Abstract
In Spanish, imprecise quantities are typically expressed through approximators (APs) (e.g., casi $60 ‘almost’, como $30 ‘like’, and 90 y pico ‘-ish’). APs make semantic boundaries fuzzy, but they provide instructions for utterance interpretation by establishing upper limits (e.g., casi), lower limits (e.g., y pico), or no specific limits (e.g., como). While APs occur frequently in naturally occurring language, they are rarely included in second language (L2) classrooms or textbooks, limiting learners’ exposure to these forms. This study examined how intermediate L2, advanced L2, and native Spanish speakers (n = 20 per group) discussed imprecise quantities during oral interviews in which they responded to money-related questions. The study investigated the effect of L2 proficiency and cumulative length of exposure abroad in the learners’ lexical knowledge of APs. GLMMs revealed that, overall, an increased L2 proficiency correlated to a more frequent and more natural use of APs. A significant interaction between L2 proficiency and length of stay abroad was also found, as even short periods abroad resulted in significant lexical gains for the intermediate learners. The results show that while proficiency mediates AP use, naturalistic exposure at an early stage accelerates lexical acquisition, promoting a more target-like expression of numeric imprecision.
Highlights
Expression of Imprecise Quantities.Vague language is an inherent characteristic of all languages and a communication strategy that is prevalent in everyday interactions (e.g., Carter and McCarthy 2006; Channell1994; Cutting 2007; Metsä-Ketelä 2006; Sabet and Zhang 2015)
The present study investigates the particularities of learner speech when expressing numeric imprecision in L2 Spanish
Cumulative length of exposure abroad was found to interact with L2 proficiency, and the findings showed that the Int L2 experienced significant lexical gains even when they had only spent a short time abroad
Summary
Expression of Imprecise Quantities.Vague language is an inherent characteristic of all languages and a communication strategy that is prevalent in everyday interactions (e.g., Carter and McCarthy 2006; Channell1994; Cutting 2007; Metsä-Ketelä 2006; Sabet and Zhang 2015). Languages 2022, 7, 20 on a scale and only denote proximity or closeness to the exemplar number (i.e., the numeric value they modify). This latter category is the core of the present study. The semantic value of these lexical items is assigned on a scale or continuum in relation to the element they modify (i.e., exemplar number). As suggested by Channell (1994), the values assigned by APs can change depending on pragmatic/contextual factors, such as (a) the level of precision required by the context, (b) the item that is being approximated (e.g., money, people, pages, etc.), and (c) the size of the number (e.g., $10 versus $10,000)
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