Abstract

This cross-generational study investigated the potential vulnerability of DOM in the oral production of Romanian heritage speakers as a function of age of onset of bilingualism (simultaneous vs. sequential bilinguals). In Romanian DOM marking generally co-exists with accusative clitic doubling (CD). Fifty-two Romanian speakers in Romania, 32 Romanian immigrants who arrived to the US after age 18, and 29 heritage speakers of Romanian completed a written proficiency test and an oral narrative task. The results showed that DOM is vulnerable to erosion in heritage speakers of Romanian, and those speakers who omit DOM also omit CD. Age of onset of bilingualism modulated DOM and CD omission in heritage speakers: simultaneous bilinguals made more errors with DOM and CD than sequential bilinguals. The Romanian immigrants did not show attrition of DOM.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationThe Acquisition of Differential Object Marking
EditorsAlexandru Mardale, Silvina Montrul
PublisherJohn Benjamins Publishing Company
Pages283-312
Number of pages30
ISBN (Electronic)9789027261090
DOIs
StatePublished - 2020

Publication series

NameTrends in Language Acquisition Research
Volume26
ISSN (Print)1569-0644

Keywords

  • Accusative
  • Clitic doubling
  • Differential Object Marking
  • Heritage speakers
  • Oral production
  • Romanian

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Education
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Linguistics and Language
  • Cultural Studies
  • Communication

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