Final Project Guiding Questions

1. How has the Spanish language evolved in Spain from it's Latin roots until now? In what ways do the different dialects vary?

2. How do we learn foreign languages? What parts of the brain are involved in the different functions (speaking, listening, reading, writing) of languages? How, neurologically and psychologically) does one become fluent in a second language?

3. How has "Spanglish" developed as a new language in the U.S. border states overs the past two decades? What influence has it had on the Spanish and English languages?

4. How is Chicano culture/history represented and film and literature? How can students of Mexican heritage identify with Chicano culture and history in California/the U.S.?

5. How does music effect memory and phonetics in second language acquisition? Is it effective in teaching some of the more difficult functions of a language, like accent and comprehension?

6. What are the effects of language transfer on second language acquisition? How does it effect the ability to learn semantics, syntax, lexicon, phonetics, phonology, morphology, and pragmatics in the foreign language?

7. What are some of the specific difficulties of second language learners of Spain (production of certain allophones, syntax, pragmatics, etc.)? What causes these difficulties, and how can students be helped in becoming more fluent in these aspects of the language?