Heritage speakers and contact-induced language change

This study investigates the role of heritage language (HL) speakers in language change, focusing on how they frame motion events compared to native monolingual homeland speakers. Language contact, particularly in HL contexts, is considered a significant factor in driving language variation and change. Drawing on research by Talmy (1975, 1983, 2007), we examine the alternation between verb-framed (VF) and satellite-framed (SF) constructions in Italian, which may be influenced by cross-linguistic contact with SF languages like German. The study reveals that Italian HL speakers produce significantly more SF constructions than homeland speakers, suggesting cross-linguistic influence from the majority language. Additionally, both groups exhibit sensitivity to the semantic properties of Manner verbs, with non-directional Manner verbs eliciting fewer SF constructions than directional Manner verbs. This study investigates the emergence of innovative linguistic forms in bilingual contexts, which may mirror broader patterns of contact-induced language change. Finally, it highlights the importance of exploring variability in both syntactic and semantic domains to better understand which structures are more susceptible to change.