Nativelike expression in the speech of long‐residency L 2 users: A study of multiword structures in L 2 E nglish, F rench and S panish

Nativelike expression in L 2 speech is investigated by comparing quantity and distribution of different types of multiword structures ( MWSs ) in the speech of very advanced L 2 speakers with native speakers. Swedish speakers of L 2 E nglish, L 2 F rench and L 2 S panish (average LOR in the UK , F rance and C hile 7–10 years) performing two oral tasks, a role play, and an online retelling task, are compared with matching native speakers, totalling 140,000 words. The L 2 groups were nativelike in their use of MWSs as social routines in the role play. Collocations, the dominant category in the retelling task, were underrepresented in all three L 2 groups compared to the native groups. Furthermore, the E nglish NNSs were nativelike on more measurements of MWSs than the F rench and S panish NNSs .