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Restringiendo la subida de clíticos: reflexividad, modalidad verbal y contacto lingüístico en el español de Houston

2008; Routledge; Volume: 9; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Espanhol

10.1179/174582008x325078

1745-820X

Manuel Gutiérrez,

Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation

AbstractAbstractThis study considers the position of clitics in verbal phrases with infinitives and gerunds, in which the speaker can choose to place the clitic in pre- or post-verbal position. The analysis is based on seventy-two one-hour tape-recorded conversations with speakers from Houston and the state of Michoacán, México. General results indicate a process of grammaticalization that appears as a strong tendency to place the clitic in front of the verbal phrase. A more in-depth analysis offers evidence that shows the role played by the contact situation with English; some characteristics of the verbal phrases studied seem to be sensitive to the contact situation. Reflexive verb constructions show a clear reduction of clitic climbing in groups of bilingual speakers. Although there is a strong tendency toward clitic climbing in most of the verbal phrases examined, some resistance, varying by generation, is observed with auxiliaries like empezar/comenzar con, saber, tratar de and venir a + infinitive. On the other hand, all bilingual speakers, regardless of generation, seem to follow the same general tendency of monolingual Spanish speakers to prefer clitic climbing in verbal phrases with gerunds, with incremental differences in verbal phrases like ir a, deber, querer, tener que, acabar de, and volver a + infinitive.This study considers the position of clitics in verbal phrases with infinitives and gerunds, in which the speaker can choose to place the clitic in pre- or post-verbal position. The analysis is based on seventy-two one-hour tape-recorded conversations with speakers from Houston and the state of Michoacán, México. General results indicate a process of grammaticalization that appears as a strong tendency to place the clitic in front of the verbal phrase. A more in-depth analysis offers evidence that shows the role played by the contact situation with English; some characteristics of the verbal phrases studied seem to be sensitive to the contact situation. Reflexive verb constructions show a clear reduction of clitic climbing in groups of bilingual speakers. Although there is a strong tendency toward clitic climbing in most of the verbal phrases examined, some resistance, varying by generation, is observed with auxiliaries like empezar/comenzar con, saber, tratar de and venir a + infinitive. On the other hand, all bilingual speakers, regardless of generation, seem to follow the same general tendency of monolingual Spanish speakers to prefer clitic climbing in verbal phrases with gerunds, with incremental differences in verbal phrases like ir a, deber, querer, tener que, acabar de, and volver a + infinitive.El presente estudio examina la posición de los clíticos en frases verbales con infinitivos y gerundios, contextos que permiten poner el clítico después del verbo no conjugado o antes del verbo conjugado. El análisis se basa en setenta y dos conversaciones grabadas con hablantes de Houston y del estado de Michoacán, México. Los resultados generales apuntan hacia un proceso de gramaticalización que se verifica en una fuerte tendencia a poner el clítico en una posición preverbal. Un examen más detenido permite observar el papel que juega la situación de contacto lingüístico, ya que algunas frases examinadas parecen ser sensibles al contacto con el inglés. Los verbos reflexivos muestran una clara reducción de clíticos preverbales en los grupos de hablantes bilingües. Cierta resistencia a la posición preverbal se observa a lo largo de las generaciones en frases con auxiliares como empezar/comenzar con, saber, tratar de y venir a + infinitivo. Por otro lado, tanto hablantes bilingües como monolingües favorecen la posición pre verbal con frases de gerundios y muestran ciertas diferencias con auxiliares como ir a, deber, querer, tener que, acabar de y volver a + infinitivo.