Russian differential object marking in Spanish speakers learning Russian as a second language
- Autores: Madariaga N.1, Gerasimova A.A.2, Lyutikova E.A.2
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Afiliações:
- University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU
- Lomonosov Moscow State University
- Edição: Volume 23, Nº 4 (2025)
- Páginas: 566-589
- Seção: Key Issues of Russian Language Research
- URL: https://bakhtiniada.ru/2618-8163/article/view/360838
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.22363/2618-8163-2025-23-4-566-589
- EDN: https://elibrary.ru/MUHNUD
- ID: 360838
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Resumo
This study investigates a key assumption in generative linguistics about the dual nature of the grammatical case and its two distinct operations, syntactic or abstract case matching and morphological case ascription. The relevance of this study lies in its provision of experimental evidence demonstrating that these two operations can be analysed as distinct procedures, yielding differentiated outcomes when examined from the perspective of acquisition. The Spanish and Russian languages use Differential Object Marking (DOM) for animate direct objects, in most cases, in similar syntactic positions. However, Russian has more complex morphological conditions for using case patterns, particularly in DOM. The aim of this study is twofold: (i) to examine possible asymmetries between syntactic and morphological case operations in Spanish speakers with partial knowledge of Russian cases, and (ii) to determine whether the intricate syntax-morphology interface of Russian DOM presents specific challenges to L2 learners compared to other case positions. The authors conducted an experiment to assess the accuracy of case acquisition among young adult Spanish learners of Russian as a second language (L2) who live in Spain compared to adult native Russian speakers living in Russia. The materials of the study comprised a balanced selection of Russian DOM constructions (target stimuli) in contrast with sentences with alternative syntactic contexts and filler items to ensure variability. The research has shown that Spanish-speaking L2 learners experience significant difficulties while acquiring Russian case, especially with regard to the DOM. Consequently, L2 acquisition is vulnerable in contexts where the syntactic — morphological interface is not the same in the two languages. Future research will examine the difficulties in acquiring Russian DOM among speakers of languages without DOM (e.g., German or English) and assess whether DOM in a learner’s first language (L1) undergoes a congruency effect in L2 acquisition.
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Sobre autores
Nerea Madariaga
University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU
Autor responsável pela correspondência
Email: nerea.madariaga@ehu.es
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-4732-4144
Código SPIN: 9800-6563
Scopus Author ID: 42861993600
Researcher ID: K-9871-2013
PhD in Linguistics, Associate Professor at the Department of Classical Stu-dies, Coordinator of the Section of Slavic Philology
6 Paseo de la Universidad, Faculty of Arts, Vitoria-Gasteiz, 01006, SpainAnastasia Gerasimova
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Email: anastasiagerasimova432@gmail.com
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-4686-5598
Código SPIN: 1327-5805
Scopus Author ID: 57194502949
Researcher ID: Q-6419-2016
Ph.D. in Philological Sciences, Researcher at the Research Computing Center
1 Leninskie Gory, bldg. 4, Moscow, 119234, Russian FederationEkaterina Lyutikova
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Email: lyutikova2008@gmail.com
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-4439-0613
Código SPIN: 2108-4296
Scopus Author ID: 55660727100
Researcher ID: P-2563-2016
Prof. Dr. Habil. in Philological Sciences, Professor at the Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics at the Philological Faculty
1 Leninskie Gory, bldg. 51, Moscow, 119234, Russian FederationBibliografia
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