Intonation and discourse : biased questions

This paper surveys a range of constructions in which prosody affects discourse function and discourse structure.We discuss English tag questions, negative polar questions, and what we call “focus” questions. We postulate that these question types are complex speech acts and outline an analysis in Segmented Discourse Representation Theory (SDRT) to account for the interactions between prosody and discourse

Information Structure, Grammar and Strategy in Discourse

This dissertation examines two information-structural phenomena, Givenness and Focus, from the perspective of both syntax and pragmatics. Evidence from English, German and other languages suggests a split analysis of information structure--the notions of Focus and Givenness, often thought to be closely related, exist independently at two different levels of linguistic representation. Givenness is encoded as a syntactic feature which presupposes salience in prior discourse and either (1) prevents prosodic prominence (in languages like English and German), or (2) drives syntactic movement (in languages like Italian). On the other hand, Focus, which introduces strong prosodic prominence and a contrastive interpretation, exhibits none of the expected properties of a syntactic feature, and is therefore analyzed quite differently. I argue that Focus is the result of purely pragmatic principles which determine utterance choice in the face of grammatical optionality. The syntactic and phonological systems often generate multiple possible formulations of an utterance, and communicative principles can be invoked to explain the correspondences between certain kinds of discourse contexts and certain patterns of linguistic form. The application of communicative principles to problems of utterance choice is modeled mathematically using the tools of game-theoretic pragmatics. From this perspective, utterances are taken to be strategically chosen in order to maximize communicative effectiveness. Ultimately, the strong differences between Focus and Givenness emphasize a methodological point: both syntactic and pragmatic perspectives are necessary to fully determine the space of possibilities in natural language. Neither perspective should be ignored

Making sense of speech : a practical approach to pronunciation assessment

textRecent research has shifted the focus of pronunciation instruction from achieving native-like speech in learners to correcting issues that affect the intelligibility of the learners’ speech. Research also suggests that suprasegmental features of pronunciation, such as intonation, rhythm, and stress, have a considerable influence on intelligibility. By using Dickerson’s (1989) Covert Rehearsal Model, which includes predictive strategies that encourage learner autonomy, instructors have the tools necessary to effectively help learners improve their intelligibility. However, the question as to which instructional targets should be taught in the classroom still remains. This report outlines one way in which instructors can use a diagnostic assessment in order to discover which instructional targets are most appropriate for their learners.Foreign Language Educatio

Principles of music education applied to pronunciation instruction

textMusic education and pronunciation teaching within second language education would seem to be two entirely separate fields. Yet, there are undeniable links between learning to play an instrument, such as the violin, and learning to speak in a second language. This Report attempts to bridge the divide between both disciplines by highlighting the similarities between musical features and pronunciation features, and by applying principles for practicing music to pronunciation practice. It is hoped that this comparison will motivate second language learners to practice pronunciation and increase the quality of their home practice, which has been found to play an important role in determining the degree of students’ pronunciation improvement (Sardegna, 2011). This Report begins with a review of pronunciation teaching trends and how they have shaped pronunciation teaching today. It then provides an overview of three important pronunciation learning models, followed by a discussion of a principled approach to teaching pronunciation. This principled approach may help bridge the gap between theory and classroom practice. Then, grounded on evidence suggesting strong links between teaching pronunciation and teaching violin, the Report concludes with a rationale for applying the proposed principles to a musical teaching context and suggests adopting a musical approach to practice in order to effect change in students’ English pronunciation.Foreign Language Educatio

"I’m still not sounds like native speaker" : the native speaker norm, language ideology, and the empowerment of international students

International students in the United States are a large and growing population (Institute of International Education, 2010). Universities in the United States and elsewhere are attempting to tap into the potential benefits of international education including the advantages that a culturally and racially diverse student body offers. Despite valuing international students for their cultural diversity, universities still seem reluctant to embrace the linguistic diversity that international students who are ‘non-­‐native speakers’ of English inevitably bring with them (cf. Jenkins, 2011). This study explores this issue from the point of view of eight international students studying at a mid-­‐sized US university, using questionnaire and interview data collected longitudinally over eight months. The data reveals that despite many claims to the contrary (e.g. Carter, 1998; Kubota, 2006; Kuo, 2006; Prodromou, 2006; Scheuer, 2005; Sobkowiak, 2005), international students are not unequivocally in support of using a standard based on native speaker norms for language learning and use. Rather, the issue is a source of conflict and contradiction for the students. Furthermore, this ideology of ‘nativeness’ formed on the basis of the belief that ‘native speaker’ language represents ‘authentic’ or ‘superior’ language leads the participants to a position of devaluing their own and other ‘non-­‐native speakers’’ intelligibility and communicative capacity. The study concludes with the suggestion that the ideology that holds that ‘non-­‐native speaker’ language is deficient as opposed to different from ‘native speaker’ language is incompatible with a vision of egalitarian international education, in which English is used as a common language or lingua franca. In order to empower international students to contribute to the academic discourses that characterize US higher education (and other contexts), recognition of the legitimate speakerhood of ‘non-­‐native speakers’ of English is critical.Thesis (M.A.)Department of EnglishIntroduction : international students in the US and the NS norm -- Relevant research : norms for language learning, teaching and use -- The study : methods, context and participants -- Perceptions of 'intelligibility' -- What [do] learners want? -- Balancing feasibility and desire -- Imagined communities and legitimate speakerhood -- Conclusion : 'nativeness' ideology and international education

Teacher perspectives on professional development needs for better serving Nebraska\u27s Spanish heritage language learners

A growing number of heritage language speakers of Spanish are enrolling in Spanish language courses during secondary school. Current scholarship has suggested that these heritage language learners (HLLs) have very different instructional needs than learners of second or foreign languages. Because Spanish language instruction in Nebraska secondary schools has been traditionally conceptualized only as foreign language instruction, classroom teachers may not be adequately prepared to meet the needs of HLLs. This dissertation examined the experiences of Nebraska secondary Spanish teachers who worked with HLLs in order to inform the creation of relevant professional learning experiences for pre- and in-service teachers. Specifically, data were collected from a statewide survey of Nebraska Spanish teachers (n=92) and follow-up semi-structured interviews of nine of the survey participants representing three sub-groups. Findings from this design study indicated that while most teachers recognized significant differences between HLLs and L2 learners enrolled in their courses and had very positive attitudes towards HL maintenance, few were engaged in significant instructional differentiation practices in mixed-enrollment courses. There were few reported instances of HLL specific courses offerings such as Spanish for Spanish speakers (SSS) across the state. Respondents reported, on average, receiving very little pre- or in-service professional development related to HLLs but indicated strong interest in learning more about serving HLLs. These data informed the design and delivery of a practitioner-led professional development workshop focused on one of the most significant practitioner- articulated learning needs: instructional differentiation for HLLs in mixed courses. Additional professional development areas identified by study included sociolinguistic characteristics of HLL affect and motivation, models of curriculum design and development for SSS courses, models of course articulation sequences and placement procedures for HLLs in World Language departments, and frank collegial discourse on the subject of teacher qualifications for HL instruction. This dissertation illuminated the importance of practitioner-led inquiry into “problems of practice,” and suggested several foci for future efforts in better preparing Spanish teachers to work with HLLs. Adviser: Edmund T. Haman

Intonation meaning in English discourse: A study of Thai speakers

At the heart of cross-cultural misunderstandings lie problems associated with intonation features of learners of English (Gumperz et al., 1979; Gumperz, 1982). The successful use of discourse intonation contributes to effective cross-cultural communication, and failure to make use of the appropriate pragmatic discourse features of English intonation jeopardizes effective communication, possibly resulting in serious communication breakdown between native and non-native speakers. Despite its crucial role in communication and language learning, many English language learners have difficulty in using appropriate intonation. A number of studies of second language  intonation have an underlying assumption of the role of cross-linguistic interference contributing to a “foreign intonation”  (Lepetit, 1989; Hewings, 1990; Wennerstrom, 1994). However, this line of research is in an early stage and the findings are as yet inconclusive. This paper compared the speech of five Thai speakers who were studying for their advanced degrees in science and business in the U.S with the speech produced by five native speakers. The speech elicited from three different tasks was analyzed using Pierrehumbert & Hirschberg’s 1990 model of intonational meaning. The extent to which the intonation produced by Thais diverged from that by native speakers was assessed. In light of the findings, pedagogical suggestions were offered to help improve the teaching of pronunciation, in general, and the teaching of intonation, in particular