Smeets, LizAlboiu, GabrielaYiu, Laura2026-09-232026-09-232026-08-17https://hdl.handle.net/10315/44074This study investigated syntactic and discourse-pragmatic features of Sentence Final Particles maa3 and me1 in Cantonese heritage grammars. Studies show that syntax is easier for a Heritage Speaker (HS) to acquire than properties intersecting with discursive features, and that Age of Onset (AoO) of the dominant Societal Language (SL) has influence on nativelike proficiency. We predicted that, while HSs may exhibit some minor variations according to AoO (i.e.: earlier SL onset will lead to slightly reduced target-like performance), HS usage of narrow syntax should pattern with native speakers overall, while discursive properties will be less nativelike. Participants were given an Acceptability Judgment Task (AJT) to investigate syntactic knowledge, a forced choice Picture Selection Task (PST) to investigate knowledge of discourse properties, and a Language Background Questionnaire (LBQ) to investigate non-linguistic factors of influence and confirm AoO data and speaker type. Results from Canadian Heritage speakers were compared to baseline Native Cantonese speakers. The experiment confirmed that syntactic constraints were generally target-like among HS grammars, while discursive features were less nativelike.enCantoneseDiscourse markerInterrogativesHeritage languageSyntactic acquisitionResearch Paper