Vowel deletion is frequent in the Chichicastenango dialect of K’iche’ (Maya). Whereas deletion in content words is reportedly predictable based on vowel quality, syllable structure and stress, deletion in function words is much more variable. This article investigates vowel deletion in a corpus of spontaneous, monologic speech. The results show that deletion in content words is highly regular, occurring to lax vowels in unstressed, CV syllables adjacent to the stressed syllable. A difference can be observed between vowels belonging to stress domain internal morphemes and extrametrical morphemes. Deletion in extrametrical morphemes is somewhat less regular, and does not occur in word-final syllables. In function words, vowel deletion is sensitive to similar conditions to those that affect content words, but is highly variable and is influenced by the phrase-level context.

In this rejoinder, we provide a historical overview of the emerging critiques of the L2 Motivational Self System and examine the structural and conceptual factors that have perpetuated these unresolved issues. As our analysis shows, a core concern is that the L2 Motivational Self System lacks clear falsifiability criteria, making it difficult to evaluate or revise in light of contradictory evidence. Despite numerous inconsistent or null findings, there appears to be no threshold at which core assumptions are reconsidered. We argue that advancing the field requires a renewed commitment to falsifiability, where constructs are subjected to empirical scrutiny and can, in principle, be shown to be wrong. Beyond technical matters, we acknowledge the emotional and professional challenges involved in confronting evidence that undermines familiar frameworks. We advocate for a shift toward greater theoretical precision, methodological transparency, and openness to critique.

Continuous immersion in a second language causes speakers’ first language to change, a phenomenon known as L1 attrition. We explored (1) whether bilingual native Mandarin speakers display attrition-related changes in their use of referring expressions in Mandarin after exposure to English and (2) whether the severity of attrition is affected by the amount of exposure to both Mandarin (L1) and English (L2) and English proficiency. All participants completed a questionnaire to assess their language experience and a picture description task in spoken Mandarin. The results show that where more monolingual Mandarin speakers preferred null pronouns, bilingual speakers tended to use overt pronouns, suggesting attrition-related changes in their native language which favoured explicitness. Our study also shows that decreased use of L1 coupled with increased use of L2 and higher L2 proficiency are likely to result in a greater degree of attrition, although such an association is statistically unreliable in some models.

In this research agenda, we first review the thematic landscape of task engagement research, providing definitions and elaborating on the core theoretical infrastructure for task engagement. We then summarize consensus perspectives from this body of work and identify important contributions that task engagement research stands to make to second language (L2) learning and teaching research. Following this, we outline five key research tasks that we believe will broaden the field’s understanding of task engagement, sharpen insights from empirical work, and accelerate the contribution of this research. Our goals are, first, to highlight for readers the shared understandings that exist in this important area of language learning research and, second, to draw attention to specific areas where additional L2 task engagement research is needed to push the field forward productively.

Al-Hoorie, Hiver, and In’nami (2024) challenged the validity and corresponding validation processes of L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS) research. A component of this challenge included claims of weak discriminant validity due to high correlations among L2MSS constructs. Papi and Teimouri (2024) countered by using semi-partial correlations to control for other L2MSS constructs, finding weak-to-moderate associations, which they claimed mollified potential discriminant validity concerns. In this methods-oriented response paper, we present a historical case that semi-partial correlations should be viewed within the context of multiple regression analysis, not as a standalone bivariate metric. Challenging Papi and Teimouri’s approach, we suggest that their method does not adequately address discriminant validity issues. Furthermore, when their semi-partial correlations are treated as multiple regression models, Al-Hoorie et al.’s concerns remain valid. Finally, we demonstrate that L2MSS literature does not support the assignment of outcome and predictor variables in Papi and Teimouri’s semi-partial correlations when correctly considered as multiple regression models.

The volumes of historical data locked behind unstructured formats have long been a challenge for researchers in the computational humanities. While optical character recognition (OCR) and natural language processing have enabled large-scale text mining projects, the irregular formatting, inconsistent terminology and evolving printing practices complicate automated parsing and information extraction efforts for historical documents. This study explores the potential of large language models (LLMs) in processing and structuring irregular and non-standardized historical materials, using the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Plant Inventory books (1898–2008) as a test case. Given the frequent evolution of these historical records, we implemented a pipeline combining OCR, custom segmentation rules and LLMs to extract structured data from the scanned texts. It provides an example of how incorporating LLMs into data-processing pipelines can enhance the accessibility and usability of historical and archival materials for scholars.