Regan Vera, Howard Martin and Lemée Isabelle. The Acquisition of Sociolinguistic Competence in a Study Abroad Context

(Second Language Acquisition). — Bristol Buffalo Toronto: Multilingual Matters, 2009. — 169 p. This book is a real eye opener for anyone who would equate conjugating verbs and memorizing noun genders with 'learning' a second language. Regan et al. offer a stunning demonstration that effective communication hinges on acquiring the sociolinguistic competence to interpret (and produce) the many choices among variant linguistic structures that native speakers make regularly in their everyday interactions. Exemplifying with the controversial Year Abroad experience, the authors provide a first detailed account of how this is achieved. Contents: Second Language Acquisition and Linguistic Variation. Linguistic Outcomes and Study Abroad. Extralinguistic Factors Affecting L2 Development. The Research Investigation: An Overview. The Acquisition of ne deletion by Irish-English speakers of French L2 during the Year Abroad. The Variable Use of Nous/On during the Year Abroad. The Acquisition of /l/ Deletion in French by Irish Study Abroad Speakers. The Variable Use of Future Temporal Reference during the Year Abroad. The Role of Gender in the Acquisition of Sociolinguistic Competence in an L2 During the Year Abroad. Spending a Year Abroad: Do We Acquire Sociolinguistic Competence? This volume explores the relationship between 'study abroad' and the acquisition of 'sociolinguistic competence' - the ability to communicate in socially appropriate ways. The volume looks at language development and use during study abroad in France by examining patterns of variation in the speech of advanced L2 speakers. Within a variationist paradigm, fine-grained empirical analyses of speech illuminate choices the L2 speaker makes in relation to their new identity, gender patterns, closeness or distance maintained in the social context in which they find themselves. Using both cross-sectional and longitudinal data, four variable features of contemporary spoken French are analysed in a large population of advanced Irish-English speakers of French. This close-up picture provides empirical evidence by which to evaluate the wide-spread assumption that Study Abroad is highly beneficial for second language learning. Second language acquisition and linguistic variation Linguistic outcomes of second language acquisition in a study abroad context Extralinguistic factors affecting L2 development during study abroad The research project: an overview The acquisition of ne deletion by Irish learners of French The variable use of nous/on by Irish learners of French The acquisition of /l/ deletion by Irish year abroad speakers of French The variable use of future temporal reference The role of gender in the acquisition of sociolinguistic competence in an L2 during the year abroad Spending a year abroad: do we acquire sociolinguistic competence? Drawing on cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of a range of sociolinguistic variables in L2 French, this volume explores the relationship between 'study abroad' and the acquisition of sociolinguistic variation patterns by the advanced second language learner