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Article published In:
Applying Cognitive Linguistics: Figurative language in use, constructions and typology
Edited by Ana M. Piquer-Píriz and Rafael Alejo-González
[Review of Cognitive Linguistics 14:1] 2016
► pp. 136–160

The role of force dynamics and intentionality in the reconstruction of L2 verb meanings

A Danish-Spanish bidirectional study

| University of Zaragoza
| University of Southern Denmark
| University of East Anglia

This paper examines the role of force dynamics and intentionality in the description of placement events by two groups of native speakers of typologically and genetically different languages, Danish and Spanish, and by two groups of intermediate adult learners, Danish learners of L2 Spanish and Spanish learners of L2 Danish. The results of the study showed that (a) force dynamics and intentionality are important semantic components in both languages, but their distribution and relative focus differed cross-linguistically, and (b) the two learner groups had difficulties in reconstructing the meanings of the L2 verbs involving these two semantic components. Learning difficulties were observed when moving from a less to a more complex L2 system, when moving in the opposite direction, i.e., from a more to a less complex L2 system and when moving to an L2 system that is as complex as the learners native one.

Keywords: Spanish, L2, placement events, force dynamics, Danish
Published online: 7 July 2016
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/rcl.14.1.06iba
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