You are what you eat phonetically
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Elaina M. Frieda
Abstract
The following set of experiments tests whether linguistic experience plays a significant role in the perception of foreign vowels. Models of second language acquisition purport that a second language is perceived in direct relation to the native language and that specific predictions can be drawn regarding which contrasts will be most problematic for nonnative speakers. With this in mind, native Japanese and Korean speakers were tested on their discrimination and assimilation of English vowels. In Experiment 1, participants performed an assimilation task where they identified English vowels in terms of their native vowel categories. Further, listeners rated their vowel selections for category goodness. These data were then implemented in developing hypotheses as to possible discrimination outcomes for Experiment 2. Discrimination results confirmed predictions generated by the assimilation experiment but this held true only for inexperienced nonnative speakers of English.
Abstract
The following set of experiments tests whether linguistic experience plays a significant role in the perception of foreign vowels. Models of second language acquisition purport that a second language is perceived in direct relation to the native language and that specific predictions can be drawn regarding which contrasts will be most problematic for nonnative speakers. With this in mind, native Japanese and Korean speakers were tested on their discrimination and assimilation of English vowels. In Experiment 1, participants performed an assimilation task where they identified English vowels in terms of their native vowel categories. Further, listeners rated their vowel selections for category goodness. These data were then implemented in developing hypotheses as to possible discrimination outcomes for Experiment 2. Discrimination results confirmed predictions generated by the assimilation experiment but this held true only for inexperienced nonnative speakers of English.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Dedication ix
- Alphabetical List of Contributors xi
- Acknowledgments xv
- Biographical Note xvii
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PART I: The nature of L2 speech learning
- The study of second language speech learning 3
- Nonnative and second-language speech perception 13
- Cross-language phonetic similarity of vowels 35
- Investigating the role of attention in phonetic learning 57
- You are what you eat phonetically 79
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PART II: The concept of foreign accent
- Nativelike pronunciation among late learners of French as a second language 99
- Second language acquisition of a regional dialect of American English by native Japanese speakers 117
- Acoustic variability and perceptual learning 135
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PART III: Consonants and vowels
- Strategies for Realization of L2-Categories 153
- Temporal remnants from Mandarin in nonnative English speech 167
- Cross-language consonant identification 185
- The relationship between identification and discrimination in cross-language perception 201
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PART IV: Beyond consonants and vowels
- Music and language learning 221
- Behavioral and cortical effects of learning a second language 239
- The perception of tones and phones 259
- Prosody in second language acquisition 281
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PART V: Emerging issues
- Implications of James E. Flege’s research for the foreign language classroom 301
- Speech learning, lexical reorganization, and the development of word recognition by native and non-native English speakers 315
- Phonemic errors in different word positions and their effects on intelligibility of non-native speech 331
- The graphical basis of phones and phonemes 349
- References 367
- Author Index 399
- Subject Index 405
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Dedication ix
- Alphabetical List of Contributors xi
- Acknowledgments xv
- Biographical Note xvii
-
PART I: The nature of L2 speech learning
- The study of second language speech learning 3
- Nonnative and second-language speech perception 13
- Cross-language phonetic similarity of vowels 35
- Investigating the role of attention in phonetic learning 57
- You are what you eat phonetically 79
-
PART II: The concept of foreign accent
- Nativelike pronunciation among late learners of French as a second language 99
- Second language acquisition of a regional dialect of American English by native Japanese speakers 117
- Acoustic variability and perceptual learning 135
-
PART III: Consonants and vowels
- Strategies for Realization of L2-Categories 153
- Temporal remnants from Mandarin in nonnative English speech 167
- Cross-language consonant identification 185
- The relationship between identification and discrimination in cross-language perception 201
-
PART IV: Beyond consonants and vowels
- Music and language learning 221
- Behavioral and cortical effects of learning a second language 239
- The perception of tones and phones 259
- Prosody in second language acquisition 281
-
PART V: Emerging issues
- Implications of James E. Flege’s research for the foreign language classroom 301
- Speech learning, lexical reorganization, and the development of word recognition by native and non-native English speakers 315
- Phonemic errors in different word positions and their effects on intelligibility of non-native speech 331
- The graphical basis of phones and phonemes 349
- References 367
- Author Index 399
- Subject Index 405
