After the fiesta is over. Foreign language attrition of Spanish in Dutch and German Erasmus students
This study has shown that language attrition affects foreign language skills, both linguistically and psycholinguistically. Initial proficiency was found to be the most reliable factor in predicting results on outcome variables but no firm conclusions for the other variables could be made. In two further case studies which were not presented in this dissertation (because they did not meet the conditions for Erasmus exchange) the competence of two female attriters was explored. One of them went to Spain as an au pair and lived with a Spanish family for 10 months. 7 years later she had difficulty completing a simple phrase in Spanish. The other one went to live with a Spanish family and learn the language for 10 months. When she was interviewed 18 years later, it was difficult for the researcher to believe that she had not left the country a week ago.
What makes these two attriters so different in their retention of the language is not yet clear. It is a matter of further research to establish what other factor(s) or combination of factors might be involved in the processes of FL attrition besides initial proficiency. Future studies should also consider carefully the methodological and statistical limitations which were outlined above and which might influence the results of the study.