Vowel epenthesis in the acquisition of English /s/-clusters by Turkish speakers
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Mehmet Yavaş
Abstract
This study reports the results of a study we conducted with data from 25 L1 Turkish speakers’ production of English #sC clusters. We compared the productions of different #sC clusters. Most notable among these was the high importance of the homorganicity when C2 was a [-continuant] (i.e. /st/ and /sn/), but not when the same consonant was a [+continuant] (i.e. /sl/). Although a low success rate (long epenthetic vowel durations) is expectedly found with the negative sonority group, /sT/ sequences, this group also had the member (/st/) with best renditions. In summary, the results seem to draw a picture like the following: combinations [-cont., +coronal] (i.e. /st/ and /sn/) are the most successful, followed by, in descending order, [-cont., -coronal] (i.e. /sm), [+cont., +coronal] (i.e. /sl/), and [-cor, -SSP] (i.e. /sp, sk). Finally, we have entertained possible explanations through word and cluster frequencies in English, but these have not yielded any coherent account for the patterns found either.
Abstract
This study reports the results of a study we conducted with data from 25 L1 Turkish speakers’ production of English #sC clusters. We compared the productions of different #sC clusters. Most notable among these was the high importance of the homorganicity when C2 was a [-continuant] (i.e. /st/ and /sn/), but not when the same consonant was a [+continuant] (i.e. /sl/). Although a low success rate (long epenthetic vowel durations) is expectedly found with the negative sonority group, /sT/ sequences, this group also had the member (/st/) with best renditions. In summary, the results seem to draw a picture like the following: combinations [-cont., +coronal] (i.e. /st/ and /sn/) are the most successful, followed by, in descending order, [-cont., -coronal] (i.e. /sm), [+cont., +coronal] (i.e. /sl/), and [-cor, -SSP] (i.e. /sp, sk). Finally, we have entertained possible explanations through word and cluster frequencies in English, but these have not yielded any coherent account for the patterns found either.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
- List of contributors ix
- Eser E. Erguvanlı-Taylan xi
- Prof. Eser Erguvanlı-Taylan’s Publications xv
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Phonology
- Vowel epenthesis in the acquisition of English /s/-clusters by Turkish speakers 3
- Is there phonological vowel reduction in Turkish? 21
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Morphology & Syntax
- A note on the compatibility of reflexive and causative in the Turkish verb 43
- Negative or not – the Case of - (y)AlI beri in Turkish 45
- Greek and Turkish influences in the clausal complements of Cunda Turkish 57
- Clause combining in Turkish as a minority language in Germany 81
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Discourse
- Thinking for speaking and the construction of evidentiality in language contact 105
- Conditionals in Turkish 121
-
Language Acquisition
- The interface of evidentials and epistemics in Turkish 143
- Acquisition of morphophonemic alternations and the role of frequency 157
- Different paces (but not different paths) in language acquisition 183
- Index 201
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
- List of contributors ix
- Eser E. Erguvanlı-Taylan xi
- Prof. Eser Erguvanlı-Taylan’s Publications xv
-
Phonology
- Vowel epenthesis in the acquisition of English /s/-clusters by Turkish speakers 3
- Is there phonological vowel reduction in Turkish? 21
-
Morphology & Syntax
- A note on the compatibility of reflexive and causative in the Turkish verb 43
- Negative or not – the Case of - (y)AlI beri in Turkish 45
- Greek and Turkish influences in the clausal complements of Cunda Turkish 57
- Clause combining in Turkish as a minority language in Germany 81
-
Discourse
- Thinking for speaking and the construction of evidentiality in language contact 105
- Conditionals in Turkish 121
-
Language Acquisition
- The interface of evidentials and epistemics in Turkish 143
- Acquisition of morphophonemic alternations and the role of frequency 157
- Different paces (but not different paths) in language acquisition 183
- Index 201
