Target speech norms and short‐term study abroad: The development of sociolinguistic competence in L2 French

This study examines the role of short‐term study abroad (SA) in the development of second language (L2) sociolinguistic competence, or knowledge about the L2 that incorporates culturally and socially appropriate language use. Speech data from 12 French learners participating in a 4‐week SA program in Lyon, France, were analyzed for the acquisition of a high‐frequency sociolinguistic variable in informal French: the use of the third‐person singular pronoun on “one” in place of the first‐person plural pronoun nous “we” (i.e., variable on vs. nous ). First language (L1) speakers prefer on “one” over nous “we” at rates exceeding 95%, and the acquisition of this variable represents a critical step in the development of L2 sociolinguistic competence. Results from this study indicate that learners are sensitive to both linguistic and extralinguistic constraints on the use of variable on versus nous and that a short‐term period of SA is a significant predictor of acquisition. Pedagogical implications include the impact of raising learners' awareness of variable forms before SA and the critical role of pre‐program language ability in the development of sociolinguistic competence during short‐term SA.