Beyond Bleeps and Bounds

The Role of Individual Differences in Understanding Taboo Language from TV Series in the L2

Datos Bibliográficos

ID5900072
AutoresAndrea Pizarro Pedraza (0000-0001-7000-1349, UCLouvain, autor de correspondencia), Ferran Suñer (0000-0002-6124-8857, UCLouvain), Barbara De Cock (0000-0001-6968-3880, UCLouvain)
Año2024
Volumen9
Número3
Páginas74
Fecha de publicación2024-02-23
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaLanguages (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2226-471X • E-ISSN: 2226-471X
EditorialMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/languages9030074
OpenAlexW4392124685
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas2
Referencias citadas18

Streaming platforms have transformed series distribution and accessibility, with Spanish-language shows gaining immense popularity, notably "La casa de papel" (Money Heist). This series features a diverse cast of characters whose linguistic diversity extends to the use of taboo language. Previous studies have shown that linguistic immersion, such as staying abroad, significantly impacts knowledge of this kind of language. This paper aims to explore to what extent these and other individual differences affect the comprehension of swear words in TV series. To this end, 33 learners of Spanish at B2 level were asked to translate 14 taboo expressions from the series. They also completed a questionnaire on the exposure to authentic language use through extended stays abroad and TV series as well as their attitudes towards the use of taboo words. The results show that students' positive attitudes towards taboo expressions and their multilingual status were associated with significantly better comprehension of taboo expressions. Furthermore, students with stay-abroad experience, watching the series in Spanish (with or without captions) and with higher proficiency levels in Spanish were found to perform better on the comprehension test, although no significant effects were found. Pedagogical implications and further directions for research are discussed in light of these findings

Comprehension · Diversity (politics · Linguistics · Popularity · Series (stratigraphy · Sociology · Taboo · Hate Speech and Cyberbullying Detection · Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies · Philosophy · Psychology · Social Psychology · Swearing, Euphemism, Multilingualism