Agreement with Collective Nouns in L2 English: Effects of Syntax, Dialect, and Frequency

Within the second language (L2) acquisition field, there is a large divide between generative/formal approaches and variationist approaches. In this study, we attempt to unite these approaches by implementing a sociosyntactic approach which adopts aspects of both formal and variationist research. Specifically, we examine the acquisition of verbal agreement with collective nouns by French and German learners of L2 English. On the formal side, we investigate how universal restrictions on Agree, i.e., c-command, constrain the availability of plural agreement. On the variationist side, we explore how differences in exposure to American vs. British English affect the acceptance of plural agreement. We find that plural agreement is largely rejected by both L2 groups. Still, the German learners display sensitivity to the universal constraints on Agree. While the French learners do not, their behavior also did not violate these constraints. Furthermore, while we find an effect of dialect exposure, it was the opposite of what was predicted: those learners exposed to more American English rated plural agreement higher. We ultimately argue that future research should continue to adopt the sociosyntactic approach to gain a fuller understanding of the L2 acquisition process.