Download or read book The Acquisition of Vowels in Spanish and English as a Second Language written by Mariche García de las Bayonas and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Acquisition of Vowels in Spanish and English as Second Language written by Mariche Garcia Bayonas and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Second Language Perception of Spanish Monophthongal Vowels written by Daniel Bates and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This dissertation research examines the acquisition of second language vowels. For second language learners, learning a new languages' sound inventory, particularly its vowels, presents a challenge perceptually and in terms of production. Incorrectly perceiving and producing sounds in a second language results in a foreign accent in many adult learners (Flege, 1995), as mental representations of second language sounds have not been properly established in the mind of the learner (Best, 1991). Vowel sounds are particularly relevant in discussion of foreign-accented speech.Second language vowel perception has received relatively little attention in recent literature, especially for English speakers learning Spanish as a second language. Often, empirical findings are inconsistent with each other. For example, Gordon (2011) found that, perceptually, learners struggle with Spanish vowels /i/ and /e/, interpreting them as English vowels /ɪ/ and /ɛ/, respectively. Garcia de las Bayonas (2004; 2008) indicates that learners struggle most perceiving /u/ and /e/. Most research on the acquisition of these vowels focuses on learner production rather than perception, with equally inconsistent findings (see, for example, Cobb and Simonet, 2015; Menke and Face, 2010). Additionally, the role of syllable stress is often not incorporated into these studies despite the importance of syllable stress in saliency and understanding. These gaps in the literature present an exciting opportunity to understand these acquisitional processes, beginning with the under-studied role of perception. Building on the methodology of Garcia de las Bayonas (2004) and other perceptual studies, this remotely conducted study explores the perception of Spanish vowels by English-speaking learners with special attention paid to the role of syllable stress. Efforts are made to better understand (1) at what point these learners establish the mental representations necessary for Spanish vowel sounds, (2) which English vowels interfere with this learning process, and (3) the role of syllable stress in vowel perception. Participants included 243 Spanish learners in seven different levels of Spanish learning, indicated by class enrollment. The methodology include a discrimination task and an identification task. In the discrimination task, participants hea two disyllabic Spanish words and are asked to decide if the words were different or identical. In the identification task, participants are given a disyllabic Spanish word with one vowel highlighted. Participants are provided with five vowel sounds and select which of the sound options belonged with the highlighted vowel. The options consist of both Spanish and English vowel sound options. Confidence levels (on a scale of 1-7) are reported for all responses. Results from the first task indicate that vowels in stressed syllables are easier to perceive for all groups. For less-experienced learners, discriminating between the Spanish vowels /o/ and /u/ prove to be most difficult, as these vowels differ acoustically much more than their English vowel equivalents. The results of this task indicate that students in their fourth semester of learning (and those more advanced) performed statistically similar to native speaker controls. The identification task reveals that learners struggle to correctly identify the Spanish vowels /e/ and /a/. When asked to identify the vowel /e/, many learners select the English vowels /ɛ/, and especially /ɪ/. For items targeting /a/, many participants select /æ/, /ɑ/ and the reduced vowel schwa [ə]. These results indicate that these English vowels cause the most interference for learners learning Spanish, resulting in Multiple-category Assimilation (Best, 1991; Escudero and Boersma, 2002). Results from this task also indicate that learners in their 4th semester, and those who are more advanced, tend to make selections statistically similar to native Spanish speakers. The results of this study indicate that by the end of the second year of classroom study, many second language Spanish learners have established mental representations for the vowels of Spanish. Language dominance scores are also collected from each participant (using the Bilingual Language Profile (Birdsong, Gertken, and Amengual, 2012)), which were found to have a strong linear correlation with performance in both tasks, both in terms of accuracy and reported confidence levels. This supports the notion that the more a person uses a language, the better established their phonological inventory will be. Measures of language proficiency and language attitudes are also found to be correlated with participants' accuracy and confidence levels. These findings support theoretical claims made by the Perceptual Assimilation Model (Best, 1991), and shows the process by which mental representations are established for second language phones. Future studies should explore these results in conjunction with vowel production while not forgetting the effect of syllable stress.

Download or read book The Handbook of Spanish Second Language Acquisition written by Kimberly L. Geeslin and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2018-08-14 with total page 581 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bringing together a comprehensive collection of newly-commissioned articles, this Handbook covers the most recent developments across a range of sub-fields relevant to the study of second language Spanish. Provides a unique and much-needed collection of new research in this subject, compiled and written by experts in the field Offers a critical account of the most current, ground-breaking developments across key fields, each of which has seen innovative empirical research in the past decade Covers a broad range of issues including current theoretical approaches, alongside a variety of entries within such areas as the sound system, morphosyntax, individual and social factors, and instructed language learning Presents a variety of methodological approaches spanning the active areas of research in language acquisition

Download or read book English with a Latin Beat written by Barbara O. Baptista and published by John Benjamins Publishing. This book was released on 2006-12-14 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although it has long been recognized that second language pronunciation is strongly influenced by the native language, second language phonology has only become a recognized area of study during the last thirty years. While English has been the most frequent target language involved, the learners' L1s have varied greatly. This is the first collection to gather together studies involving English learners whose L1 is Spanish or Brazilian Portuguese, two closely-related languages with important phonological differences. The research covers vowel perception and production, syllable simplification strategies, word and compound stress, and vowel reduction. While the papers confirm the important role of the native language, they also shed light on the sometimes subtle and unexpected ways in which this variable interacts with universal markedness relationships to determine the formation of phonetic categories and their use in perception and production. These eleven carefully conducted empirical studies will provide insights for practitioners and stimulate further research.

Download or read book Key Issues in the Teaching of Spanish Pronunciation written by Rajiv Rao and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-04-24 with total page 424 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Key Issues in the Teaching of Spanish Pronunciation: From Description to Pedagogy is a resource that encourages Spanish teachers and curriculum designers to increase their incorporation of pronunciation into the classroom. Combining theory and practical guidance, it will help language practitioners integrate the teaching of Spanish pronunciation with confidence and effectiveness. The international group of scholars across its 15 chapters is made up of individuals with well-established research records and training in best pedagogical practices. Key features: A range of topics including vowels, various classes of consonants, prosody, the use of technology, the role of orthography, the importance of both perception and production, individual learner differences, and teacher training; Overviews of descriptive, empirical, and acquisition-based research associated with each aspect of the Spanish sound system; Guidance on the difficulties that teachers face when incorporating the teaching of pronunciation into the classroom; Clear explanations of concepts, accompanied by an abundance of concrete examples and references; Multiple sample activities and lesson plans tailored to different levels and backgrounds of students; A bilingual glossary of terms to help the content reach the widest audience possible. Written in a clear and accessible manner, Key Issues in the Teaching of Spanish Pronunciation is an essential resource for teachers of Spanish at all levels. It is also an excellent reference book for researchers and both undergraduate and graduate university students interested in Spanish phonetics and language acquisition.

Download or read book The Cambridge Handbook of Spanish Linguistics written by Kimberly L. Geeslin and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2018-08-23 with total page 1098 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Written for both researchers and advanced students, this Handbook provides a state-of-the-art survey of the field of Spanish linguistics. Balancing different theoretical perspectives among expert scholars, it provides an in-depth examination of all sub-fields of research in Hispanic linguistics, with a focus on recent advances.

Download or read book An Investigation of Vowel Production and Its Relation to Acquisition of Stress in the Interlanguage Phonology of English Speaking Adult Second Language Learners of Spanish written by Elizabeth E. Lansing and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Phonology and Second Language Acquisition written by Jette G. Hansen Edwards and published by John Benjamins Publishing. This book was released on 2008-03-05 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume is a collection of 13 chapters, each devoted to a particular issue that is crucial to our understanding of the way learners acquire, learn, and use an L2 sound system. In addition, it spans both theory and application in L2 phonology. The book is divided into three parts, with each section unified by broad thematic content: Part I, “Theoretical Issues and Frameworks in L2 Phonology,” lays the groundwork for examining L2 phonological acquisition. Part II, “Second Language Speech Perception and Production,” examines these two aspects of L2 speech in more detail. Finally, Part III, “Technology, Training, and Curriculum,” bridges the gap between theory and practice. Each chapter examines theoretical frameworks, major research findings (both classic and recent), methodological issues and choices for conducting research in a particular area of L2 phonology, and major implications of the research findings for more general models of language acquisition and/or pedagogy.

Download or read book Age and the Acquisition of English as a Foreign Language written by María del Pilar García Mayo and published by Multilingual Matters. This book was released on 2003-05-21 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides an overview of current research on the age factor in foreign language learning, addressing issues, which are critical for language planning. It presents new research on foreign language learning within bilingual communities in formal instruction settings focussing on syntax, phonology, writing, oral skills and learning strategies.

Download or read book Second Language Speech Learning written by Ratree Wayland and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2021-02-04 with total page 537 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Including contributions from a team of world-renowned international scholars, this volume is a state-of-the-art survey of second language speech research, showcasing new empirical studies alongside critical reviews of existing influential speech learning models. It presents a revised version of Flege's Speech Learning Model (SLM-r) for the first time, an update on a cornerstone of second language research. Chapters are grouped into five thematic areas: theoretical progress, segmental acquisition, acquiring suprasegmental features, accentedness and acoustic features, and cognitive and psychological variables. Every chapter provides new empirical evidence, offering new insights as well as challenges on aspects of the second language speech acquisition process. Comprehensive in its coverage, this book summarises the state of current research in second language phonology, and aims to shape and inspire future research in the field. It is an essential resource for academic researchers and students of second language acquisition, applied linguistics and phonetics and phonology.

Download or read book Acquisition of L2 Phonology written by Alexander C. Aldrich and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Routledge Handbook of Spanish Phonology written by Sonia Colina and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-12-12 with total page 526 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Routledge Handbook of Spanish Phonology brings together leading experts in Spanish phonology to provide a state-of-the-art survey of the field. The five sections present current research on the phonological structure of Spanish including the most prominent segmental processes, suprasegmental features, the ways Spanish phonology interacts with other modules of grammar, the acquisition of Spanish phonology by first and second language learners, and an analysis of phonological variation and sound change. This volume provides comprehensive and detailed coverage of Spanish phonology. It addresses major burning questions and pressing issues that have arisen in the study of Spanish phonology, and is an essential reading resource for graduate students and researchers in the field.

Download or read book Vowel Reduction Patterns of Spanish English Bilinguals written by Abigail Foust and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bilingual speech has been a topic of study for many years due to the growing population of bilingual speakers in the United States. The English and Spanish vowel systems differ in many ways creating more difficulty in the pronunciation of English vowels by bilingual speakers. The Spanish vowel system contains only five vowels spaced out across the vowel space whereas the English vowel system contains fourteen vowels, with a more "cramped" vowel space. This creates difficulty with proper pronunciation of vowels. There are many additional factors that can influence the ability to produce English vowels including the age of exposure of the second language (or whether the individual is an early or late bilingual), the person's environment, etc. This literature review examines and compares the vowel reduction and deletion patterns between different variables including age of L2 acquisition, vowel duration, vowel qualities like backness, height, etc., word placement of the vowel, word condition, etc. The compiled research in this literature review studies these variables and has shown that the early and late bilingual English speakers had much different vowel production and reduction patterns. By evaluating these populations, speech-language pathologists are able to better understand the differing speech patterns and accents that are produced by non-native English speakers. Further research should be conducted to study and understand other parts of Spanish-English bilingual speech.

Download or read book The Acquisition of English Vowels by Spanish Speakers written by Suzanne Lewenstein and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Native Dialect Effects in Non native Acquisition of Vowels written by Irina Marinescu and published by LAP Lambert Academic Publishing. This book was released on 2012 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In most second language studies, learners' native variety is assumed to be homogenous, regardless of their regional variety. Nevertheless, regional varieties differ in non-trivial ways and such differences need to be considered when analyzing second language acquisition. This book examines the role of the native dialect in non-native perception and production in the specific case of Cuban and Peninsular Spanish as native varieties and of English vowels as in the words /hat/, /hut/, and /hot/ as the target. This study takes shape around the main research question of whether potentially systematic differences between vowels in the native dialects of Cuban and Peninsular Spanish would produce matching phonetic differences in non-native perception and production of English vowels. This question was addressed in three experiments that compared native vowels in these Spanish varieties, as well as the perception and production of the target English vowels as in /hat/, /hut/, and /hot/ by Cuban and Peninsular Spanish learners. I concluded that the native dialect was one of several factors generating differences between the two groups of L2 learners.

Download or read book The Initial State for California English Learners of Spanish and Portuguese Vowels written by Polina Vasiliev and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 133 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Second language (L2) learners often struggle with achieving native-like production and perception of L2 sounds. While there is ample research on the non-native perception of English vowels by native speakers of languages with smaller vowel inventories, scant research exists up-to-date on the opposite scenario. The aim of the present study is to investigate the initial state for Californian English (CE) listeners' perception of two different smaller vowel inventories, namely Spanish and Portuguese vowels, before any perceptual learning has taken place. The objective is to determine how CE listeners' native vowel inventory of (at least) ten phonemes affects their non-native perception of the five Spanish and seven Portuguese vowel phonemes. Monolingual speakers of English from Southern California (N = 18) completed a perceptual assimilation task, in which they labeled naturally produced tokens of Spanish and Portuguese vowels in terms of ten native English categories, as well as a categorial discrimination task with four Spanish and six Portuguese vowel contrasts. In the perceptual assimilation task, CE listeners mapped almost every Spanish and Portuguese vowel contrast to more than two native categories, resulting in many instances of Multiple Category Assimilation (MCA, Escudero and Boersma, 2002). Furthermore, some phonologically common vowels between Spanish and Portuguese, namely /e/, /o/, and /a/, were mapped differently to English categories, suggesting that cross-linguistic differences in the acoustic distributions of these sounds result in differences in their categorization by non-native listeners. In the discrimination task, CE listeners were highly accurate at distinguishing all Spanish vowel contrasts but were less accurate on three Portuguese vowel contrasts, /i-e/, /o-u/, and /a-O/. Crucially, MCA was found to be responsible for listeners' lower discrimination accuracy only when it contributed to two vowels being perceptually assimilated to an overlapping set of native categories, i.e., when two different vowels had a high perceptual assimilation overlap score. The results are examined vis-à-vis two main models of second language speech perception, the Perceptual Assimilation Model (PAM, Best, 1995) and the Second Language Linguistic Perception Model (L2LP, Escudero, 2005). Implications for L2 acquisition of Spanish and Portuguese vowels by English-speaking learners are discussed.