L1-English tense-lax vowel system influence on L2-Arabic
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Zafer Lababidi
Abstract
The current study investigates the production and perception of Arabic short and long vowels by two groups of adult L1-English/L2-Arabic learners who differ in their length of exposure to Arabic. An ABX discrimination task and a production task, followed by a native judgment task, were conducted to assess perception and production. The results show that discrimination performance is better than production overall, and also that the learners transfer their L1-English tense-lax phonological system to produce Arabic short-long vowels. We also observe that the transfer involves not only duration, but also spectral aspects of the L1. Lastly, our analyses suggest that more than appropriate durations are involved in pronouncing Arabic short and long vowels correctly.
Abstract
The current study investigates the production and perception of Arabic short and long vowels by two groups of adult L1-English/L2-Arabic learners who differ in their length of exposure to Arabic. An ABX discrimination task and a production task, followed by a native judgment task, were conducted to assess perception and production. The results show that discrimination performance is better than production overall, and also that the learners transfer their L1-English tense-lax phonological system to produce Arabic short-long vowels. We also observe that the transfer involves not only duration, but also spectral aspects of the L1. Lastly, our analyses suggest that more than appropriate durations are involved in pronouncing Arabic short and long vowels correctly.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgement vii
- Introduction ix
-
Phonetics and phonology
- Phonation and glottal states in Modern South Arabian and San'ani Arabic 3
- Examining feature economy in Arabic dialects 37
- L1-English tense-lax vowel system influence on L2-Arabic 63
- On the status of derived affricates in Arabic dialects 89
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Syntax
- On NPIs and QPs in Sason Arabic 107
- Temporal NPIs and NCIs as adverb phrases 129
- Clause structure in contact contexts 153
- The syntax of motion light verbs in Jordanian and Moroccan Arabic 173
- Cyclic Spell-Out Derived Agreement in Arabic Raising Constructions 193
-
Sociolinguistics
- (q) as a sociolinguistic variable in the Arabic of Gaza City 229
- Index 247
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgement vii
- Introduction ix
-
Phonetics and phonology
- Phonation and glottal states in Modern South Arabian and San'ani Arabic 3
- Examining feature economy in Arabic dialects 37
- L1-English tense-lax vowel system influence on L2-Arabic 63
- On the status of derived affricates in Arabic dialects 89
-
Syntax
- On NPIs and QPs in Sason Arabic 107
- Temporal NPIs and NCIs as adverb phrases 129
- Clause structure in contact contexts 153
- The syntax of motion light verbs in Jordanian and Moroccan Arabic 173
- Cyclic Spell-Out Derived Agreement in Arabic Raising Constructions 193
-
Sociolinguistics
- (q) as a sociolinguistic variable in the Arabic of Gaza City 229
- Index 247
