Profiling the dynamics in the development of syntactic and phonological accuracy among learners of L2 Spanish in immersion condition

Language as complex dynamic system is made up by a number of subsystems that interact and mutually affect each other over the course of development. This multiple case study explores the variability patterns and dynamic relationship in the development of phonological and syntactic accuracy among L2 learners. General and detailed measures of accuracy were used to calculate ratios of accuracy. Variability analyses, such as trajectory plots of observed and detrended data, min-max graphs, Monte Carlo simulations and static and detrended correlations were administered to explore the variability and interaction trends in the development of the two growers. In addition, three models of syntactic and phonological accuracy development were configured based on assumptions on the role of cognitive resources allocation and informed by the outcomes of the variability analyses which aimed at replicating the observed data, thus testing the validity of relevant predictions. Findings suggest that variability in linguistic performance along with interaction patterns are complementary sources of information on a learner’s state of development. They also suggest that phonological and syntactic accuracy display a competitive interaction at early stages of L2 acquisition, but that this relationship gradually becomes supportive in later moments of the L2 development. Mathematical models succeeded to reach a satisfactory fit of the observed patterns of interaction, which suggests that efficiency in cognitive resource allocation resulting from more exposure to and use of the L2 is a plausible account of the nature of such relationship.