Part of
Inquiries in Hispanic Linguistics: From theory to empirical evidenceEdited by Alejandro Cuza, Lori Czerwionka and Daniel Olson
[Issues in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics 12] 2016
► pp. 131–148
The goal of this chapter is to reflect on methodological practices in second language (L2) speech concerning participant selection and task choices. To frame the discussion, I turn to two central issues in cultural studies: the concept of mestizaje and the connection between speech and writing. First, drawing from research on L2 acquisition of intonation, I argue for the need of problematizing multilingual identities to include populations that currently do not fit our selection criteria. Secondly, I suggest that the discussion about the centrality of alphabetic writing in Western societies can inform research on the role of reading and writing in L2 and bilingual speech.