L2 phraseological use during an attrition period

Abstract This study explores if and how phraseological use patterns change over a five-year period for 14 learners of second-language (L2) Spanish. This period covers an academic year spent in a target-language environment, followed by a four-year attrition period. In addition to documenting potential change in usage patterns, we examine how peak attainment and continued L2 contact during the attrition period influence phraseological competence. The analysis focuses on one type of word combination, namely noun/adjective pairs, and measures change by looking at the frequency of noun/adjective sequences and the strength of the association between the two words. Results point to stability in phraseological competence, with no significant patterns of attrition being uncovered. These findings are interpreted against the backdrop of the small body of research on L2 lexical and, specifically, phraseological attrition, contributing to what is known about long-term learning trajectories in the lexical domain.