On the interpretation of null arguments in L2 Japanese by European non-pro-drop and pro-drop language speakers

Abstract

We report that (i) European 'pro-drop' language learners of Japanese as a foreign language (L1 Spanish) ('pro-drop' JFLs) allowed a sloppy interpretation of null arguments beginning at the primary stage of L2 development, and that (ii) European non-pro-drop JFL learners ('non-pro-drop' JFLs) did not permit a sloppy interpretation with null arguments even at an advanced level. Under Ishino’s (2012) framework, we argue that the results for the 'pro-drop' JFLs follow from positive L1 transfer, given that Spanish, their first language, permits a sloppy interpretation with null subjects in some well-defined contexts (Duguine, 2013, 2014), and also that the 'non-pro-drop' advanced JFLs’ availability of null arguments stems from the addition of a D-feature to the feature bundles of the target language.

Keywords

• Null argument
• Pro-drop language
• European non-pro-drop language
• L2 Japanese
• Sloppy reading
• D-feature