1,075 research outputs found

    The phonetics of second language learning and bilingualism

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    This chapter provides an overview of major theories and findings in the field of second language (L2) phonetics and phonology. Four main conceptual frameworks are discussed and compared: the Perceptual Assimilation Model-L2, the Native Language Magnet Theory, the Automatic Selection Perception Model, and the Speech Learning Model. These frameworks differ in terms of their empirical focus, including the type of learner (e.g., beginner vs. advanced) and target modality (e.g., perception vs. production), and in terms of their theoretical assumptions, such as the basic unit or window of analysis that is relevant (e.g., articulatory gestures, position-specific allophones). Despite the divergences among these theories, three recurring themes emerge from the literature reviewed. First, the learning of a target L2 structure (segment, prosodic pattern, etc.) is influenced by phonetic and/or phonological similarity to structures in the native language (L1). In particular, L1-L2 similarity exists at multiple levels and does not necessarily benefit L2 outcomes. Second, the role played by certain factors, such as acoustic phonetic similarity between close L1 and L2 sounds, changes over the course of learning, such that advanced learners may differ from novice learners with respect to the effect of a specific variable on observed L2 behavior. Third, the connection between L2 perception and production (insofar as the two are hypothesized to be linked) differs significantly from the perception-production links observed in L1 acquisition. In service of elucidating the predictive differences among these theories, this contribution discusses studies that have investigated L2 perception and/or production primarily at a segmental level. In addition to summarizing the areas in which there is broad consensus, the chapter points out a number of questions which remain a source of debate in the field today.https://drive.google.com/open?id=1uHX9K99Bl31vMZNRWL-YmU7O2p1tG2wHhttps://drive.google.com/open?id=1uHX9K99Bl31vMZNRWL-YmU7O2p1tG2wHhttps://drive.google.com/open?id=1uHX9K99Bl31vMZNRWL-YmU7O2p1tG2wHAccepted manuscriptAccepted manuscrip

    Phonetic drift

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    This chapter provides an overview of research on the phonetic changes that occur in one’s native language (L1) due to recent experience in another language (L2), a phenomenon known as phonetic drift. Through a survey of empirical findings on segmental and suprasegmental acoustic properties, the chapter examines the features of the L1 that are subject to phonetic drift, the cognitive mechanism(s) behind phonetic drift, and the various factors that influence the likelihood of phonetic drift. In short, virtually all aspects of L1 speech are subject to drift, but different aspects do not drift in the same manner, possibly due to multiple routes of L2 influence coexisting at different levels of L1 phonological structure. In addition to the timescale of these changes, the chapter discusses the relationship between phonetic drift and attrition as well as some of the enduring questions in this area.https://drive.google.com/open?id=1eQbh17Z4YsH8vY_XjCHGqi5QChfBKcAZhttps://drive.google.com/open?id=1eQbh17Z4YsH8vY_XjCHGqi5QChfBKcAZhttps://drive.google.com/open?id=1eQbh17Z4YsH8vY_XjCHGqi5QChfBKcAZAccepted manuscriptAccepted manuscrip

    On the cognitive basis of contact-induced sound change: Vowel merger reversal in Shanghainese

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    This study investigated the source and status of a recent sound change in Shanghainese (Wu, Sinitic) that has been attributed to language contact with Mandarin. The change involves two vowels, /e/ and /ɛ/, reported to be merged three decades ago but produced distinctly in contemporary Shanghainese. Results of two production experiments showed that speaker age, language mode (monolingual Shanghainese vs. bilingual Shanghainese-Mandarin), and crosslinguistic phonological similarity all influenced the production of these vowels. These findings provide evidence for language contact as a linguistic means of merger reversal and are consistent with the view that contact phenomena originate from cross-language interaction within the bilingual mind

    A Psycholinguistic Perspective on Development of Phonetic Category Formation in Bilingual Children

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    This chapter reviews theories and research about phonetic category formation in bilingual children. Investigating phonetic categories provides us with a way to answer one of the longstanding theoretical issues in bilingualism, that is, whether bilingual children possess one versus two linguistic systems in the learning of their respective languages. In this chapter, theoretical backgrounds of phonetic categories in bilingual adults and children are reviewed. Then, empirical evidence showing phonetic categories in bilingual children is summarized. Finally, a development model of phonetic category formation in simultaneous and sequential bilingual children is proposed. Based on the model, detailed phonetic categories do not form across-the-board and bilingual children may invoke multi-dimensional representations of phonetic categories

    Speech Compensation to Formant Perturbations in English and Vietnamese Talkers

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    The purpose of this experiment was to examine mechanisms underlying the auditory feedback system using Vietnamese and English talkers in response to feedback perturbations. F1 discrimination thresholds, vowel goodness ratings, and vowel category bounds for English /ɪ/ were determined. Vowel spaces were collected for both languages and auditory feedback of F1 was manipulated for English and Vietnamese vowels. Speech compensation during perturbed auditory feedback occurred in English and Vietnamese vowels suggesting that the underlying mechanisms are universal. However, there were differences in speech compensation for some vowel conditions, which may have occurred due to vowel location in each language group’s vowel space. Speech compensation may also be influenced by the perceptual boundaries of internal vowel categories where significant compensation may occur when feedback is non-prototypical to the target vowel category. Overall, these results suggest that the feedback system is sensitive to formant frequency changes that may have underlying phonological mediations

    Cross-Linguistic Influence of Similar Phonological Contrasts for Heritage Bilingual Children in the United Kingdom

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    Children who grow up learning a heritage language at home, and a majority language from school and peers, represent a case of bilingualism in which there is less distinction between a “first” and “second” language. This thesis investigates the similar contrasts within two separate heritage language communities, in order to observe patterns that occur between heritage language groups. A contrast pairing for each pair of languages was chosen: one for English-Polish heritage bilingual children and one for English-Chinese children. It was hypothesized that there would be cross-linguistic influence present, and that the acoustic cues of the English contrast would influence the production and perception of the heritage language contrast. Children between ages 7;0 and 9;6 performed a picture-naming task and a perceptual categorisation task, involving a phonetic continuum across a lexical minimal pair. The data include heritage bilinguals as well as control samples of monolinguals of each language. Results suggest that the heritage bilinguals reliably produced and perceived each contrasts. A degree of cross-linguistic influence was also present, and was seen both spectrally and temporally. In production, a comparison of vowel duration between heritage speakers and monolingual English speakers showed a significant effect (p < 0.001), with heritage speakers relying less on the temporal cue. This was not repeated in perception. The effect is evaluated with respect to phonetic assimilation, presenting evidence for a shared phonetic space in which mutual influence occurs

    Negative vaccine voices in Swedish social media

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    Vaccinations are one of the most significant interventions to public health, but vaccine hesitancy creates concerns for a portion of the population in many countries, including Sweden. Since discussions on vaccine hesitancy are often taken on social networking sites, data from Swedish social media are used to study and quantify the sentiment among the discussants on the vaccination-or-not topic during phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. Out of all the posts analyzed a majority showed a stronger negative sentiment, prevailing throughout the whole of the examined period, with some spikes or jumps due to the occurrence of certain vaccine-related events distinguishable in the results. Sentiment analysis can be a valuable tool to track public opinions regarding the use, efficacy, safety, and importance of vaccination

    Non-background Chinese learners' pronunciation acquisition through language transfer : an action research in a Sydney public school

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    This research focuses on the exploration of a language transfer teaching approach to make Chinese (Mandarin) learnable for young beginning learners. A qualitative action research methodology was chosen as most relevant to improve the teacher researcher’s teaching practice in a primary school in Australia over three school terms/ three research Cycles. The aim of this research was to find a suitable language transfer-based teaching approach to make Chinese learnable to non-background Chinese learners. The overarching research question was: How can students’ L1 (English) be employed to facilitate the pronunciation acquisition in their L2 (Chinese) learning? Ringbom’s (2007) contention that there are three cross-linguistic similarity relations between languages: “similarity relation”, “contrast relation”, and “zero relation” was implemented to explore the research question. Grounded in the outcomes of Cycle 1 teaching and learning the teacher researcher refined Ringbom’s (2007) three categories into two – “Similar Relation” and “Non-relation” and continued to implement this framework in Cycles 2 and 3. Based on the data analysis and informed by a review of the literature, this action research found that Mandarin and English do share various phonetic similarities of vowels and consonants. In addition, identification and application of such phonetic similarities (language transfer) between Mandarin and English helped young beginning learners to engage in Mandarin pronunciation lessons more effectively and confidently. This research also explored the tensions for teaching and learning pronunciation when no similarities could be identified in the Mandarin vocabulary to be taught. Various supplementary teaching approaches were developed and implemented to assist the young learners’ Mandarin pronunciation when “Non-relation” between the languages was identified. This thesis has concluded with an in-depth discussion of the findings in relation to the research question and its contributory questions. This has resulted in a list of teaching strategies being offered for other like-minded teacher researchers to trial
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