The Acquizition of Sociolinguistics Competence in a Study Abroad Context

Drawing on cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of a range of sociolinguistic variables in L2 French, this volume explores the relationship between 'study abroad' and the acquisition of sociolinguistic variation patterns by the advanced second language learner. Within a variationist paradigm, the findings illuminate a number of issues in relation to the role of speaker identity, gender, and L2 exposure and contact.