Categorical and variable mood distinction in Hexagonal French: Factors characterizing use for native and non-native speakers

Aarnes Gudmestad (1) , Amanda Edmonds (2)

1 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University [Blacksburg]
2 EMMA - Etudes montpelliéraines du monde anglophone

Although grammars and teaching materials generally present the subjunctive-indicative contrast as being meaningful and categorical, much evidence exists to suggest that mood distinction in modern Hexagonal French is variable, with both the indicative and the subjunctive appearing in certain contexts without an apparent change in meaning. In the current study, mood use among native speakers (NSs) and three groups of non-native speakers (NNSs) is examined using two elicitation tasks. In particular, variationism is adopted in order to explore the role played by a sample of linguistic and extralinguistic factors in the use of verbal moods by NSs and NNSs of French in France. Results indicate that NSs show variable mood use with approximately two thirds of the triggers examined and that the factor of semantic category was a significant predictor of mood use patterns on variable triggers for NSs and NNSs.

Domaines: Linguistique

Aarnes Gudmestad, Amanda Edmonds. Categorical and variable mood distinction in Hexagonal French: Factors characterizing use for native and non-native speakers. Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2015, 18 (1), pp.107-130. ⟨hal-03067512⟩