Differential object marking in German learners of Spanish: Insights from the MuLeCo learner corpus

Abstract

In this investigation, I delve into the phenomenon of differential object marking among German L3 and L4 learners of Spanish, drawing comparisons with both a standard error annotation and an L1 control group. The findings reveal a prevailing trend of a-omission in animate direct objects within the learner group. Notably, in relation to the output of the L1 control group, intriguing distinctions emerge in comparison to the error annotation, particularly concerning the a-marking of non-human animate direct objects. This underscores the significance of incorporating data from peer L1 speakers in the assessment of learner competence.