1887
Volume 3, Issue 2
  • ISSN 2215-1478
  • E-ISSN: 2215-1486
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of learning context on the improvement of some L2 phonological parameters. Based on the (LeaP), it investigates the speech of 29 learners with various L1s who were recorded before and after either (i) a six to nine-month stay abroad, (ii) a six-month training course in the target language phonology or (iii) a stay abroad that included instruction in the L2 phonology. Quantitative corpus analyses were carried out on the learners’ vowel reduction, intonation and on their oral fluency. Results showed gains for all learner groups in pitch range, vowel reduction and fluency, but only one significant gain for the training course participants (group 2) as compared to the stay abroad groups. Qualitative corpus analyses revealed the pronounced variation across individual learners and suggest an intricate interplay between speaking styles and learning contexts.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/ijlcr.3.2.05gut
2017-12-04
2025-02-09
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Batstone, R.
    2002 “Towards a socio-cognitive approach to second language acquisition”. System30, 1–14. doi: 10.1016/S0346‑251X(01)00055‑0
    https://doi.org/10.1016/S0346-251X(01)00055-0 [Google Scholar]
  2. Bongaerts, T. , Planken, B. , & Schils, E.
    1995 “Can late learners attain a native accent in a foreign language? A test of the Critical Period Hypothesis”. In D. Singleton , & Z. Lengyel (Eds.), The Age Factor in Second Language Acquisition. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters, 30–50.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Bongaerts, T. , van Summeren, C. , Planken, B. , & Schils, E.
    1997 “Age and ultimate attainment in the pronunciation of a foreign language”. Studies in Second Language Acquisition19, 447–465. doi: 10.1017/S0272263197004026
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263197004026 [Google Scholar]
  4. Collentine, J.
    2004 “The effects of learning contexts on morphosyntactic and lexical development”. Studies in Second Language Acquisition26(2), 227–248. doi: 10.1017/S0272263104262040
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263104262040 [Google Scholar]
  5. Collentine, J. , & Freed, B.
    2004 “Learning context and its effects on second language acquisition”. Studies in Second Language Acquisition26, 153–171. doi: 10.1017/S0272263104262015
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263104262015 [Google Scholar]
  6. Davidson, D.
    2010 “Study abroad. When, how long and with what results? New data from the Russian Front”. Foreign Language Annals43(1), 6–26. doi: 10.1111/j.1944‑9720.2010.01057.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2010.01057.x [Google Scholar]
  7. de Keyser, R.
    2010 “Monitoring processes in Spanish as a second language during a study abroad program”. Foreign Language Annals43(1), 80–92. doi: 10.1111/j.1944‑9720.2010.01061.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2010.01061.x [Google Scholar]
  8. Derwing, T. , & Rossiter, M.
    2003 “The effects of pronunciation instruction on the accuracy, fluency and complexity of L2 accented speech”. Applied Language Learning13, 1–17.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Derwing, T. , Munro, M. , & Wiebe, G.
    1998 “Evidence in favor of a broad framework for pronunciation instruction”. Language Learning48, 393–410. doi: 10.1111/0023‑8333.00047
    https://doi.org/10.1111/0023-8333.00047 [Google Scholar]
  10. Díaz-Campos, M.
    2004 “Context of learning in the acquisition of Spanish second language phonology”. Studies in Second Language Acquisition26, 249–273. doi: 10.1017/S0272263104262052
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263104262052 [Google Scholar]
  11. 2006 “The effect of style in second language phonology: An analysis of segmental acquisition in study abroad and regular-classroom students”. In C. A. Klee , & T. L. Face (Eds.), Selected Proceedings of the 7th Conference on the Acquisition of Spanish and Portuguese as First and Second Languages. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Proceedings Project, 26–39.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Freed, B. , Segalowitz, N. , & Dewey, D.
    2004 “Context of learning and second language fluency in French: comparing regular classroom, study abroad, and intensive domestic immersion programs”. Studies in Second Language Acquisition26, 275–301. doi: 10.1017/S0272263104262064
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263104262064 [Google Scholar]
  13. Garcia-Amaya, L.
    2009 “New findings on fluency measures across three different learning contexts”. Selected Proceedings of the 11th Hispanic Linguistics Symposium, San Antonio, Texas, 68–80.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Gut, U.
    2003 “Non-native speech rhythm in German“. Proceedings of the ICPhS, Barcelona, 2437–2440.
    [Google Scholar]
  15. 2009 Non-native Speech. A Corpus-based Analysis of Phonological and Phonetic Properties of L2 English and German. Frankfurt: Peter Lang. doi: 10.3726/978‑3‑653‑01155‑5
    https://doi.org/10.3726/978-3-653-01155-5
  16. 2014 “The LeaP corpus”. In J. Durand , U. Gut , & G. Kristoffersen (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Corpus Phonology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 509–516.
  17. Henriksen, N. , Geeslin, K. , & Willis, E.
    2010 “The development of L2 Spanish intonation during a study abroad immersion program in León, Spain: Global contours and final boundary movements”. Studies in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics3, 113–162. doi: 10.1515/shll‑2010‑1067
    https://doi.org/10.1515/shll-2010-1067 [Google Scholar]
  18. Isabelli-Garcia, C.
    2010 “Acquisition of Spanish gender agreement in two learning contexts: Study abroad and at home”. Foreign Language Annals43(2), 289–303. doi: 10.1111/j.1944‑9720.2010.01079.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2010.01079.x [Google Scholar]
  19. Lléo, C. , & Vogel, I. 2004 “Learning new segments and reducing domains in German L2 phonology: The role of the Prosodic hierarchy”. International Journal of Bilingualism8, 79–104.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Lord, G.
    2006 “Defining the indefinable: Study Abroad and Phonological Memory Abilities”. In C. Klee , & T. Face (Eds.), Selected Proceedings of the 7th Conference on the Acquisition of Spanish and Portuguese as First and Second Languages. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla, 40–46.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. 2008 “Podcasting communities and second language pronunciation”. Foreign Language Annals41, 364–379. doi: 10.1111/j.1944‑9720.2008.tb03297.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2008.tb03297.x [Google Scholar]
  22. 2010 “The combined effects of instruction and immersion on second language pronunciation”. Foreign Language Annals43(4), 488–503. doi: 10.1111/j.1944‑9720.2010.01094.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1944-9720.2010.01094.x [Google Scholar]
  23. Meng, Z. , Zhao, F. , & He, M.
    2006 “The just noticeable difference of noise length and reverberation Perception”. Proceedings of Communications and Information Technologies 2006 (ISCIT ’06), 418–421. doi: 10.1109/ISCIT.2006.339980
    https://doi.org/10.1109/ISCIT.2006.339980 [Google Scholar]
  24. Mertens, P.
    2004 “The prosogram: semi-automatic transcription of prosody based on a tonal perception model”. Proceedings of Speech Prosody 2004, Nara, Japan, 549–552.
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Milde, J. -T. , & Gut, U.
    2002 “The TASX environment: an XML-based toolset for time aligned speech corpora”. Proceedings of the third International Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation, Las Palmas, 1922–1927.
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Milton, J. , & Meara, P.
    1995 “How periods abroad affect vocabulary growth in a foreign language”. Review of Applied Linguistics107–8, 17–34.
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Missaglia, F.
    1999 “Contrastive prosody in SLA – an empirical study with adult Italian learners of German”. Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Phonetic Sciences, San Francisco, USA, Vol.1, 555–558.
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Mora, J. C.
    2008 “Learning context effects on the acquisition of a second language phonology”. In C. Pérez-Vidal , M. Juan-Garau , & A. Bel (Eds.), A Portrait of the Young in the New Multilingual Spain. Clevendon: Multilingual Matters, 241–263.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Moyer, A.
    1999 “Ultimate attainment in L2 phonology”. Studies in Second Language Acquisition21, 81–108. doi: 10.1017/S0272263199001035
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263199001035 [Google Scholar]
  30. Patterson, D.
    2000A Linguistic Approach to Pitch Range Modelling. PhD thesis. Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh.
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Piske, T. , MacKay, I. , & Flege, J.
    2001 “Factors affecting degree of foreign accent in an L2: a review”. Journal of Phonetics29, 191–215. doi: 10.1006/jpho.2001.0134
    https://doi.org/10.1006/jpho.2001.0134 [Google Scholar]
  32. Quené, H.
    2007 “On the just noticeable difference for tempo in speech”. Journal of Phonetics35(3), 353–362. doi: 10.1016/j.wocn.2006.09.001
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wocn.2006.09.001 [Google Scholar]
  33. Segalowitz, N. , & Freed, B.
    2004 “Context, contact, and cognition in oral fluency acquisition: Learning Spanish in at home and study abroad contexts”. Studies in Second Language Acquisition26(2), 173–200. doi: 10.1017/S0272263104262027
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263104262027 [Google Scholar]
  34. Simões, A.
    1996 “Phonetics in second language acquisition: An acoustic study of fluency in adult learners of Spanish”. Hispania79, 87–95. doi: 10.2307/345617
    https://doi.org/10.2307/345617 [Google Scholar]
  35. Wells, J. , Barry, W. , Grice, M. , Fourcin, A. , & Gibbon, D.
    1992 “Standard computer-compatible transcription”. Technical Report, SAM Stage Report Sen.3 SAM UCL-037. London: University College London.
    [Google Scholar]
  36. Wennerstrom, A.
    1998 “Intonation as cohesion in academic discourse”. Studies of Second Language Acquisition20, 1–25. doi: 10.1017/S0272263198001016
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263198001016 [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/ijlcr.3.2.05gut
Loading
/content/journals/10.1075/ijlcr.3.2.05gut
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): L2 English; L2 German; learning context; speech rate; stay abroad; vowel reduction
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error