Perception versus production of contact-induced cantase in Galician Spanish

Abstract

Though the existence of effects of Galician-Castilian contact on patterns of language use in Galicia have been well-documented, the exact scope and consequence of these effects is difficult to determine. This is due in part to the complex attitudes, both positive and negative, toward the Galician language. Because of this, societal reception of influences of Galician on Castilian –such as a heightened use of the verbal morpheme -se­– is not easily predictable, even though the form enjoys greater use in Galicia than elsewhere in the Spanish-speaking world. This study explores attitudes of 39 Galicians from the province of Pontevedra toward the production of the ‑se form, as well as how these attitudes impact participants’ production of the form. Results indicate that the Galician-influenced form ‑se is more prestigious than the ‑ra form that is more common outside of Galicia, though whether participants correctly perceive which form is influenced by the minority language is unclear.