Phonetic convergence in the speech of Polish learners of English

This dissertation examines variability in the phonetic performance of L2 users of English and concentrates on speech convergence as a result of exposure to native and non-native pronunciation. The term speech convergence refers to a process during which speakers adapt their linguistic behaviour according to who they are talking or listening to. Previous studies show that the phenomenon may take place both in a speaker’s L1 (e.g. Giles, 1973; Coupland, 1984; Gregory and Webster, 1996; Pardo, 2006; Babel; 2010) and L2 (e.g. Beebe, 1977; Berkowitz, 1986; Lewandowski, 2012; Rojczyk, 2013; Trofimovich and Kennedy, 2014). Speech convergence can be subdivided into three types of linguistic behaviour: convergence (the process of making one’s speech more similar to that of another person), divergence (the process of moving away from the speech of another person) and maintenance (the process of maintaining one’s default linguistic behaviour in spite of exposure to the speech of another person). The dissertation consists of four chapters; the first two provide theoretical background, the next two describe the study and its findings. Chapter One is concerned with previous research on speech convergence. The chapter reviews the methodology and approaches used in previous work and discusses the range of factors that may affect convergence strategies. Chapter Two provides an overview of relevant studies in the field of L2 phonetics. It describes the structure and formation of the L2 sound system and the numerous socialpsychological, linguistic and psycholinguistic variables that may influence L2 phonetic performance. Chapter Three describes the study on speech convergence in the pronunciation of Polish learners of English, i.e. the aims, hypotheses, methodology and results. In Chapter Four, the results of the study on phonetic convergence in the speech of Polish learners of English are analysed and discussed. The phenomenon of speech convergence has been explored under different names and with the use of various frameworks and methodological procedures. Some researchers refer to the process as accommodation and investigate it by analysing spontaneous conversational data (e.g. Giles, 1973; Bourhis and Giles, 1977; Coupland, 1984; Gregory and Webster, 1996). Other researches use the term imitation and examine the phenomenon in socially minimal, laboratory-based settings (e.g. Goldinger, 1998; Schokley et al., 2004; Delvaux and Soquet, 2007; Nielsen, 2011). Irrespective of terminological and methodological differences, the results of previous studies on phonetic convergence indicate that the process is conditioned by 171 a variety of linguistic (e.g. Mitterer and Ernestus, 2008; Babel, 2009; Brouwer et al., 2010; Nielsen, 2011) and social-psychological factors (Giles, 1973; Bilous i Krauss, 1988; Gregory and Webster, 1996; Pardo, 2006; Babel, 2009, Yu et al., 2013) Research on L2 acquisition and non-native pronunciation shows that the development of the L2 sound system is a complex and dynamic process. It has been argued that the productions of L2 users are generated by interlanguage (IL), an independent linguistic system that encompasses elements of the learner’s L1 and L2 but does not correspond exactly to either the NL or the TL (e.g. Selinker, 1972; 1992). Importantly, previous findings indicate that the phonetic performance of non-native speakers is influenced not only by their L1 and L2 sound systems but also by a range of various psycholinguistic (e.g. Flege, 1987; Flege et al., 2003) and social-psychological factors (e.g. Taylor et al., 1971; Zuengler, 1982; Gatbonton et al., 2011). The process of adapting one’s pronunciation as a result of exposure to another person’s speech has been detected in the productions of L2 users (e.g. Beebe, 1977; Berkowitz, 1986; Lewandowski, 2012; Rojczyk, 2013; Trofimovich and Kennedy, 2014). Similarly as in the case of L1 speech convergence, previous studies show that the magnitude of L2 speech convergence may depend upon a variety of social-psychological and linguistic variables. An interesting aspect of L2 phonetic convergence that has not yet been thoroughly explored is the comparison of pronunciation shifts upon exposure to the speech of native speakers of the TL as compared with pronunciation shifts upon exposure to the speech of other learners. The aim of the study was to address this issue by investigating and comparing L2 convergence strategies upon exposure to native and non-native pronunciation. The study concentrated on the phonetic performance of advanced Polish learners of English, who were exposed to two pronunciation varieties: Polish-accented English and native English. The participants were 38 native speakers of Polish, majoring in English Studies and recruited from the University of Lodz. The subjects listened to pre-recorded productions provided by two model talkers/interlocutors: a native speaker of Standard Southern British English and a native speaker of Polish (a qualified phonetician imitating a heavy Polish accent in English). The phonetic variables under investigation were the following: aspiration in word-initial /p t k/, pre-voicing in word-initial /b d g/, vowel duration as a cue for consonant voicing in English /æ e ɪ iː/. The experimental procedure consisted of several phases. First, the informants were instructed to identify the target words in an auditory naming task (baseline condition). Next, they were asked to listen to pre-recorded English words provided by the two 172 model talkers/interlocutors and to identify the words by saying them out loud (imitation condition). Finally, the subjects were required to read the target words for the two model talkers/interlocutors to listen to at a later time (accommodation condition). Following the production stage of the experiment, the participants completed a questionnaire whose purpose was to gauge attitudes towards native and foreign-accented English. Three hypotheses were formulated to be tested in the course of the study. Hypothesis 1 predicted that convergence strategies following exposure to native and non-native English will vary as a function of model talker/interlocutor. Hypothesis 2 predicted that convergence strategies following exposure to native and non-native English will be affected by the subjects’ attitudes towards native and Polish-accented English. Hypothesis 3 predicted that convergence strategies following exposure to native and non-native English will differ as a function of phonetic context (place of articulation and vowel category). Acoustic and statistical analysis of the data revealed that the subjects modified their linguistic behaviour following exposure to the speech of the model talkers/interlocutors, which corroborates the claim that L2 speech convergence phenomena are present in nonnative pronunciation. Hypothesis 1 was partially supported by the results of the study. It was found that speech behaviour following exposure to native and non-native English varied as a function of model talker/interlocutor in all but two instances (accommodation on pre-voicing and imitation of vowel duration). The results suggests that when using a second language, speakers may use different convergence strategies depending on the native/non-native status of the model talker or interlocutor. Hypothesis 2 was partially supported by the data. The results indicate that a strong preference for target-like pronunciation may prompt learners to converge towards native speech and diverge from foreign-accented speech. However, the factor does not seem to operate if a learner has not succeeded in mastering a given TL pronunciation feature, i.e. the impact of attitudinal factors on the magnitude of convergence in non-native pronunciation appears to be conditioned by the stage of acquisition of a given TL phonetic feature. Hypothesis 3 was not borne out the results obtained in the study. It was found that convergence strategies following exposure to native and non-native English did not vary depending on phonetic context. Overall, the findings of the study provide support for the claim that the process of speech convergence operates in L2 pronunciation and imply that certain social-psychological and psycholinguistic factors may have an impact on learners’ convergence strategies

Concretes with Photocatalytic Activity

This chapter is a short review about the modified concretes with photocatalytic activity. In the beginning, the photocatalysis process is explained; the authors are focused on the mechanism of organic contamination and nitrogen oxide decomposition. Next the three main methods for concretes modification are presented: the first group is when the concrete is covered by thin layer of TiO2 materials, e.g., paints or TiO2 suspensions. The second group is the concretes with thick layer of photoactive concrete on the top. The third group constitutes concretes modified in mass with TiO2. The two main methods for photocatalytic activity of the modified concrete determination were shown: an air purification by a nitrogen oxide decomposition and the self-cleaning properties by dyes decomposition. Also in this chapter the mechanical properties of the modified concrete are presented. In the end, the examples of the buildings made of photocatalytic concretes are shown

Variability in L2 English pronunciation examined through the prism of phonetic imitation

Synchronic variability in the area of phonetics, phonology, vocabulary, morphology and syntax is a natural feature of any language, including English. The existence of competing variants is in itself a fascinating phenomenon, but it is also a prerequisite for diachronic changes. This volume is a collection of studies which investigate variability from a contemporary and historical perspective, in both native and non-native varieties of English. The topics include Middle English spelling variation, lexical differences between Middle English dialects, Late Middle and Early Modern English forms of address, Middle English negation patterns, the English used by Polish immigrants living in London, lexical fixedness in native and non-native English used by Polish learners, and the phenomenon of phonetic imitation in Polish learners of English. The book should be of interest to anyone interested in English linguistics, especially English phonetics and phonology as well as history of English, historical dialectology and pragmatics.The paper is concerned with the imitation of vowel duration and quality upon exposure to native and non-native English speech. The participants were Polish learners of English recruited at the University of Lodz. The study aimed to determine whether the extent of phonetic imitation may be influenced by the model talker being a native or a non-native speaker of English and whether different imitation strategies may explain some of the variability in L2 speech. The results of the study suggest that phonetic imitation may account for some of the variability in L2 pronunciation and that the native/non-native status of the model talker may have a bearing on the direction of convergence. It was also found that the magnitude of imitation may depend on the degree to which a given L2 feature functions in the learners’ interlanguage

The efficiency of the respiratory system of men at risk of social exclusion

Background: Some part of the Polish society, after 1989, especially that coming from the remote farming areas – on the bankrupt State Agriculatural Farm could not cope in the new reality. Unemployment and the associated bad financial situation, poor housing conditions, and even homelessness, difficult access to medical care often generated the beginnings of social exclusion. Did those aspects also generate the impairment of the respiratory system or do the socio-demographic conditions demonstrate the relationship with the efficiency of the respiratory system? Material and Methods: 210 people from Tuchola County at risk of social exclusion underwent spirometry testing. The spirometry results were demonstrated against a background of the same measurements carried out on the group of 95 people – physical labourers and white-collar workers of Kazimierz Wielki University. Basic socio-demographic conditions of people at risk of social exclusion were surveyed. Results: Low efficiency of the respiratory system is a characteristic feature of people at risk of social exclusion. Social and living conditions (including housing conditions and unemployment period) demonstrate vital relations with the efficiency of the respiratory system. Conclusions: Poor social and living conditions and smoking of the examined people significantly change their chances of the standard spirometry results. However, good social and living conditions suggest that there is a possibility of the compensation of bad effects of smoking

Strategie radzenia sobie ze stresem wśród personelu medycznego na sali operacyjnej

Introduction. Stress is a constant presence in the work of health care professionals who come into contact with sick and suffering people every day. Medical personnel must possess both professional knowledge, skills, and social competence to best help patients. Coping strategies for stress among medical professionals can vary. One factor that may influence the strategies chosen is personality. Type D personality combines traits of negative emotionality and social inhibition. This personality type predisposes to experiencing increased levels of stress. Aim. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of stress and coping strategies among operating theatre staff. Material and Methods. 100 operating theater employees were surveyed. The study group consisted of nurses/nurses, paramedics, doctors. Questionnaires were used in the study: Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Inventory for the Measurement of Coping with Stress (Mini-COPE), Type D Scale (DS-14) and self-administered questionnaire. Results. Almost half of the subjects (47%) reported high levels of stress and 35 subjects (35%) reported medium levels of stress. The most common coping strategies used to manage stress were active coping, planning, positive reevaluation, acceptance and seeking emotional support. 41% of the respondents demonstrated a Type D personality. Negative emotionality was more strongly indicated than social inhibition. Conclusions. The highest levels of stress are mainly experienced by young women, not in a relationship, with short work experience. Systemic psychological support should be introduced, especially targeted at this group. Due to the shortage of medical staff, measures to prevent professional burnout should also be implemented. A possible solution could be classes or trainings before starting work. Their aim would be to prepare for stressful moments in future work and to teach the most effective ways of coping with stress. (JNNN 2022;11(2):59–64).Wstęp. Stres jest nieustanie obecny w pracy pracowników ochrony zdrowia, którzy każdego dnia mają kontakt z ludźmi chorymi i cierpiącymi. Personel medyczny musi posiadać zarówno fachową wiedzę, umiejętności jak i kompetencje społeczne, aby jak najlepiej pomagać pacjentom. Różne mogą być strategie radzenia sobie ze stresem wśród pracowników medycznych. Jednym z czynników, który może mieć wpływ na wybierane strategie jest osobowość. Osobowość typu D łączy cechy negatywnej emocjonalności i hamowania społecznego. Ten typ osobowości predysponuje do odczuwania zwiększonego nasilenia stresu. Cel. Celem pracy było określenie poziomu stresu oraz strategii radzenia sobie ze stresem wśród pracowników bloku operacyjnego. Materiał i metody. Przebadano 100 pracowników bloku operacyjnego. Badaną grupą stanowili pielęgniarki/pielęgniarze, ratownicy medyczni, lekarze. W badaniach wykorzystano kwestionariusze: Skalę Odczuwanego Stresu (PSS-10), Inwentarz do Pomiaru Radzenia Sobie ze Stresem (Mini-COPE), Skalę do pomiaru typu D (DS-14) oraz ankietę własną. Wyniki. Niemal połowa badanych (47%) wykazuje wysoki poziom stresu a u 35 badanych (35%) stwierdzono średni poziom stresu. Najczęściej stosowanymi strategiami radzenia sobie ze stresem były: aktywne radzenie sobie, planowanie, pozytywne przewartościowanie, akceptacja i poszukiwanie wsparcia emocjonalnego. 41% respondentów wykazało osobowość typu D. Negatywna emocjonalność była mocniej zaznaczona niż hamowanie społeczne. Wnioski. Najwyższy poziom stresu odczuwają głównie młode kobiety, nie będące w związku, o krótkim stażu pracy. Należałoby wprowadzić systemowe wsparcie psychologiczne szczególnie ukierunkowane na tę grupę. Z uwagi na niedobory kadrowe pracowników medycznych należy również wdrożyć działania zapobiegające wypaleniu zawodowemu. Możliwym rozwiązaniem mogłyby być zajęcia czy szkolenia jeszcze przed podjęciem pracy. Ich celem byłoby przygotowanie do stresujących momentów w przyszłej pracy i nauczenie najefektywniejszych sposobów radzenia sobie ze stresem. (PNN 2022;11(2):59–64)

Terminologia w tekstach naukowych z zakresu językoznawstwa na przełomie XIX i XX wieku

This article endeavours to describe one of the most significant qualities of the academic style, that is, the semantic system that has been shaped within it. The author aims at discussing the terms used in old academic publications in the field of linguistics (from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries). Since one of the key features of the terminological system is its changeability, the comparison of vocabulary used in texts written in different periods is believed to be justifiable. Basing on the analysis of the research material, the author characterises tendencies in the development of marked vocabulary in old scientific publications, taking into account the way it has been introduced in the text

Podłoże zaburzeń mowy u dzieci z zespołem Downa. Wczesna interwencja logopedyczna

Speech development of children with a Down syndrome is partly stunted or disturbed in comparison to healthy children’s speech, although, it is subjected to the same rules. The right speech development process of children with a Down syndrome (according to a child possibilities) can be provided by a well prepared program focused on stimulation of development and progress of speech in a complex curative and rehabilitative process. The exercises need to lead to the activation of a person and they should help to integrate with a society and, thanks to that, create conditions to the correct personality development. The aim of the study is to identify the causes that interfere with normal speech development of a child with Down syndrome including defects and anomalies in the anatomy and the dysfunction of the central and peripheral nervous system, and to present guidelines for a speech therapist working with a child with trisomy 21 in the first months of life. (JNNN 2016;5(4):162–167)Rozwój mowy dzieci z Zespołem Downa jest częściej opóźniony lub zaburzony niż rozwój mowy dzieci zdrowych, choć podlega tym samym prawom. Prawidłowy przebieg rozwoju mowy u dzieci z zespołem Downa (na miarę możliwości dziecka) zapewnić może dobrze przygotowany program stymulacji rozwoju i usprawniania mowy w całym kompleksowym działaniu leczniczo-rehabilitacyjnym. Ćwiczenia muszą prowadzić do uaktywnienia się jednostki i pomóc jej w integracji ze środowiskiem, a przez to tworzyć warunki do prawidłowego rozwoju osobowości. Celem pracy jest wskazanie przyczyn, które zaburzają prawidłowy rozwój mowy dziecka z zespołem Downa w tym wad i anomalii w budowie anatomicznej i w dysfunkcji ośrodkowego i obwodowego układu nerwowego, oraz przedstawienie propozycji pracy logopedy z dzieckiem z trisomią 21 w pierwszych miesiącach życia. (PNN 2016;5(4):162–167

Neurologopedyczne korelaty starzenia kognitywnego i demencji

Introduction. Aging is the subject of interest of many fields of science. Equal place of neurologopedic studies donot raise doubts today — patients followed for deterioration not only of elementary cognitive functions as memory, perception and attention, but also higher as thinking and language. Among people over 65 years old thespectrum of efficiency of cognitive functions can range from a lack of significant disorders through mild dysfunctionto the processes of dementia, in which a reduction in the efficiency of intellectual makes unable the normal functioning in everyday life.Aim. The main aim of the study was to determine the dynamics of deterioration of language and communicationskills depending on a degree of dementia.Material and Methods. The study was conducted with the use of the method of individual cases. The respondentgroup consisted of 59 female patients aged over 65. A self-constructed Speech Test Questionnaire was used in the study.Results. There is a close correlation between a degree of neurodegeneration and a state of cognitive actions. Thegroup of patients undergoing natural processes of ageing did not manifest significant cognitive disorders but onlyslowness of their functions which is characteristic of an advanced age. The degree of language and communicationdisorders is directly proportional to the size of brain damages and stages of dementia. High levels of dementia insubjects correlated with a number of cognitive deficits.Conclusions. Post-stroke states and numerous ailments and somatic diseases the female patients suffer from maybut do not have to correlate with a progressive dementia. (JNNN 2016;5(4):144–150)Wstęp. Starzenie jest przedmiotem zainteresowań wielu dziedzin nauki. Równoprawne miejsce badań neurologopedycznych nie budzi dziś wątpliwości — u chorych następuje bowiem deterioracja nie tylko elementarnych funkcji poznawczych, jak pamięć, percepcja czy uwaga, lecz również wyższych, jak myślenie i język. U osób po 65. rokużycia spektrum sprawności funkcji kognitywnych może wahać się od braku znaczących zaburzeń, poprzez łagodnedysfunkcje, aż do procesów otępiennych, w których obniżenie sprawności intelektualnych uniemożliwia normalnefunkcjonowanie w życiu codziennym.Cel. Głównym celem badania było ustalenie dynamiki deterioracji sprawności językowych i komunikacyjnychw zależności od stopnia otępienia.Materiał i metody. Badanie prowadzone było metodą indywidualnych przypadków. Grupę badawczą stanowiło 59pacjentek, powyżej 65. roku życia. W badaniu posłużono się autorskim Kwestionariuszem Badania Mowy.Wyniki. Istnieje ścisła korelacja między stopniem neurodegeneracji, a stanem czynności poznawczych. Grupa pacjentek podlegających naturalnym procesom starzenia nie manifestowała znaczących zaburzeń kognitywnych,a jedynie właściwe dla podeszłego wieku spowolnienie ich funkcji. Stopień zaburzeń językowych i komunikacyjnychjest wprost proporcjonalny do rozmiaru uszkodzeń mózgowia i fazy choroby otępiennej. Wysoki poziom otępieniakorelował u badanych z licznymi deficytami poznawczymi.Wnioski. Stany poudarowe oraz liczne dolegliwości i schorzenia somatyczne, na które cierpią pacjentki, mogą lecznie muszą korelować z postępującą demencją. (PNN 2016;5(4):144–150

Składnia dawnych tekstów naukowych z zakresu nauk humanistycznych (na przykładzie artykułów językoznawczych i pedagogicznych) – wstępne rozpoznanie problemu

This article endeavours to describe the syntactic system of the old academic publications in the field of linguistics and pedagogy (from 20th century). The research material is constituted by six texts issued in different periods of the development of selected disciplines. In this article it is assumed that the time of texts creation and the specificity of scientific discipline have an impact on the syntactic system. Basing on the analysis of the research material, the author has verified the hypotheses. The following elements have been analysed: relation between simple sentences and compound sentences and parataxis and hypotaxis. The author has also established the functions which are performed by given sentences that are used in early linguistic and pedagogical publications

Photocatalytic Activity and Mechanical Properties of Cements Modified with TiO2/N

In this paper, studies of the mechanical properties and photocatalytic activity of new photoactive cement mortars are presented. The new building materials were obtained by the addition of 1, 3, and 5 wt % (based on the cement content) of nitrogen-modified titanium dioxide (TiO2/N) to the cement matrix. Photocatalytic active cement mortars were characterized by measuring the flexural and the compressive strength, the hydration heat, the zeta potential of the fresh state, and the initial and final setting time. Their photocatalytic activity was tested during NOx decomposition. The studies showed that TiO2/N gives the photoactivity of cement mortars during air purification with an additional positive effect on the mechanical properties of the hardened mortars. The addition of TiO2/N into the cement shortened the initial and final setting time, which was distinctly observed using 5 wt % of the photocatalyst in the cement matrix