Recent investigations of metalinguistic input have focused on processes in which learners incorporate native speaker-generated feedback; evidence of the influence of metalinguistic feedback, however, remains inconclusive. This study, based on conversational data, analyzes the incorporation patterns of 4 well-educated but low-proficiency Chinese immigrants to Spain and 4 high-proficiency Chinese university students with extensive formal training in Spanish. Analyses revealed striking differences in the detection of ungrammatically and in negative feedback incorporation: Whereas the 4 university students evinced awareness of error and successfully incorporated native speakers' corrections, the 4 immigrants manifested little sensitivity to negative feedback, suggesting that their interlanguage systems were closed to further modification. Results indicate that the internalization of negative feedback may depend upon learners' metalingual receptivity.
