TOWARD A DYNAMIC VIEW OF SECOND LANGUAGE COMPREHENSIBILITY

AbstractThis study took a dynamic approach to second language (L2) comprehensibility, examining how listeners construct comprehensibility profiles for L2 Spanish speakers during the listening task and what features enhance or diminish comprehensibility. Listeners were 24 native Spanish speakers who evaluated 2–5 minute audio clips recorded by three university-level L2 Spanish speakers responding to two prompts. Listeners rated comprehensibility dynamically, using Idiodynamic Software to upgrade or downgrade comprehensibility over the course of the listening task. Dynamic ratings for one audio clip were video-captured for stimulated recall, and listeners were interviewed to understand which aspects of L2 speech were associated with enhanced versus diminished comprehensibility. Results indicated that clips that were downgraded more often received lower global ratings but upgrading was not associated with higher ratings. Certain problematic features and individual episodes caused listeners’ impressions to converge, though substantial individual variation among listeners was evident.

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Identity Markers and L2 Pronunciation

Studies in Second Language Acquisition ◽

10.1017/s027226310000694x ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 33-49 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Jane Zuengler

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

American English ◽

Spanish Speakers ◽

American Identity ◽

Native Spanish Speakers ◽

Sociolinguistic Variation ◽

English Pronunciation ◽

Identity Markers ◽

Social Markers ◽

Social Marking

This is a report of a study of social marking in second language pronunciation. In particular, it tested out Trudgill's (1981) suggestion that sounds that are most likely to undergo sociolinguistic variation, that is, that may become social markers, are those that Labov (1972a, 1972b), calls stereotypes. This study sought to determine whether there were certain aspects of English pronunciation that native Spanish speakers would, at some level of awareness, associate with American English/American identity. The speakers were asked to perform several tasks, including a mimic of an American speaking Spanish with an American accent (following Flege & Hammond, 1982). Among the results, speakers displayed a tacit awareness of English-Spanish sound distinctions (in particular, allophonic differences) in performing the mimic (supporting Flege & Hammond, 1982). Additionally, some of the alterations they were very conscious of held as stereotypes of American English. Support was found for Trudgill's (1981) suggestion.

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L2 Spanish clitic pronouns

Language Interaction and Acquisition / Langage Interaction et Acquisition ◽

10.1075/lia.00009.pea ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 99-129

Author(s):

Meghann M. Peace

Keyword(s):

Dynamic System ◽

Language Learners ◽

English Learners ◽

Second Language Learners ◽

Spanish Speakers ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Number Of Factors ◽

Stimulated Recall ◽

L2 Spanish ◽

Sectional Analysis

Abstract Spanish clitic pronouns present multiple morphosyntactic and semantic challenges to second language learners. One particular issue is that of case marking, which can be further complicated by variable native input. As a result, a number of factors have been proposed to explain L2 clitics, such as acquisition sequences, classroom input, dialect-specific input, and animacy cues (e.g. Andersen, 1984; Geeslin, García-Amaya, Hasler-Barker, Henriksen, & Killam, 2010; Malovrh, 2008; Malovrh & Lee, 2013; VanPatten, 1990; Zyzik, 2004). This paper uses the Dynamic Systems Theory to describe and explain L2 Spanish clitic development. The multiple social and linguistic variables that interact in clitic production suggest that clitics constitute a dynamic system. The data presented here come from a cross-sectional analysis of four groups of university-level L1 English learners of L2 Spanish, as well as a group of native Spanish speakers, who produced semi-spontaneous narration as well as post-production stimulated recall and interview. The results show a progression that is not always linear in terms of certain levels, learners, and measures. The quantitative and qualitative results reveal various interrelated social, linguistic, and cognitive factors which all play a role in the dynamic system of clitic case development.

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DISCOVERING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CONTEXT AND ALLOPHONES IN A SECOND LANGUAGE

Studies in Second Language Acquisition ◽

10.1017/s0272263110000276 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 32 (4) ◽

pp. 581-606 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Christine E. Shea ◽

Suzanne Curtin

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

English Learners ◽

First Language ◽

Spanish Speakers ◽

English Speakers ◽

Native Spanish Speakers ◽

Conditioning Factors ◽

Word Position ◽

Distributional Information ◽

Word Onset

The identification of stressed syllables by adult second-language (L2) Spanish learners was examined for evidence of influence of an allophonic alternation driven by word position and stress. The Spanish voiced stop-approximant alternation, whereby stops occur in stressed-syllable and word onsets, was utilized. If L2 learners track the distribution of this alternation, they should tend to link stops to stressed syllables in word-onset position and approximants to unstressed, word-medial position. Low- and high-intermediate-level first-language English learners of Spanish as well as native Spanish and monolingual English speakers listened to a series of nonce words and determined which of the two consonant-vowel (CV) syllables they perceived as stressed. In Experiment 1, onset allophone and vowel stress were crossed. In Experiment 2, the onset allophone alternated and a vowel unmarked for prominence was used. The results show that the monolingual English and low-intermediate groups were more likely to perceive syllables with stressed vowels as stressed, regardless of the allophone onset. In contrast, listeners with greater Spanish proficiency performed similarly to native Spanish speakers and were more likely to perceive stress on syllables with stop onsets, a pattern that follows the distributional information of Spanish. This finding suggests that learning the interplay between allophonic distributions and their conditioning factors is possible with experience and that knowledge of this relationship plays a role in the acquisition of L2 allophones.

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Ultimate attainment in Spanish spirantization

Spanish in Context ◽

10.1075/sic.00002.fac ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 27-53 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Timothy L. Face

Keyword(s):

The United States ◽

Spanish Speakers ◽

Native Spanish Speakers ◽

Intensity Measurements ◽

L2 Learners ◽

University Level ◽

The University ◽

Manner Of Articulation ◽

Ultimate Attainment ◽

Insight Into

Abstract This study examines the acquisition of the Spanish spirantization of /b/, /d/ and /g/ by a group of very advanced L2 learners who immigrated to Spain from the United States and have lived in central Spain for many years. While spirantization has received considerable attention in previous L2 research on Spanish, the participants in previous studies have typically been newer learners of Spanish, typically studying at the university level. By examining the production of immigrants to Spain, the present study provides insight into ultimate attainment, and whether this results in a native-like pronunciation in the case of spirantization. Productions are examined both categorically to determine the manner of articulation employed (i.e., approximant, fricative, stop) and also gradiently, using intensity measurements to determine the degree of spirantization when approximants are produced. The comparisons for manner of articulation show significant differences between native Spanish speakers and L2 learners, although when approximants are produced the intensity measurements often do not differ significantly between the two groups. The degree to which individual learners approach native-like pronunciation, both in terms of manner of articulation and intensity measurements of produced approximants, varies considerably.

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Characteristics of the Spanish grammar and sociolinguistic proficiency of dual immersion graduates

Spanish in Context ◽

10.1075/sic.4.2.04pot ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 187-216 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Kim Potowski

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

The United States ◽

Spanish Speakers ◽

Dual Immersion ◽

Native Spanish Speakers ◽

Reading And Writing ◽

Heritage Spanish Speakers ◽

L2 Spanish ◽

Immersion Classroom

Dual immersion schools in the United States, which combine native Spanish speakers and students learning Spanish as an L2, encourage English development while promoting Spanish learning. However, relatively little is known about the levels of Spanish attained by dual immersion graduates. This case study describes the performance on a number of measures of a graduating class at a Spanish-English dual immersion school. It analyzes their proficiency in speaking, reading and writing, their production of three grammatical forms, and their ability to identify and produce appropriately polite Spanish. Heritage Spanish speakers evidenced fairly strong Spanish systems. L2 Spanish learners scored low on several measures, but overall could communicate their ideas. Several recommendations are offered for immersion classroom pedagogy.

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TEXT CHARACTERISTICS OF TASK INPUT AND DIFFICULTY IN SECOND LANGUAGE LISTENING COMPREHENSION

Studies in Second Language Acquisition ◽

10.1017/s0272263112000678 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 31-65 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Andrea Révész ◽

Tineke Brunfaut

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Language Learners ◽

Task Difficulty ◽

Second Language Learners ◽

Task Completion ◽

Stimulated Recall ◽

Second Language Listening ◽

Listening Task ◽

Second Language Listening Comprehension ◽

Analytical Tools

This study investigated the effects of a group of task factors on advanced English as a second language learners’ actual and perceived listening performance. We examined whether the speed, linguistic complexity, and explicitness of the listening text along with characteristics of the text necessary for task completion influenced comprehension. We also explored learners’ perceptions of what textual factors cause difficulty. The 68 participants performed 18 versions of a listening task, and each task was followed by a perception questionnaire. Nine additional students engaged in stimulated recall. The listening texts were analyzed in terms of a variety of measures, utilizing automatized analytical tools. We used Rasch and regression analyses to estimate task difficulty and its relationship to the text characteristics. Six measures emerged as significant predictors of task difficulty, including indicators of (a) lexical range, density, and diversity and (b) causal content. The stimulated recall comments were more reflective of these findings than the questionnaire responses.

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Oscillatory brain dynamics of pronoun processing in native Spanish speakers and in late second language learners of Spanish

Bilingualism Language and Cognition ◽

10.1017/s1366728919000798 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 23 (5) ◽

pp. 964-977

Author(s):

Eleonora Rossi ◽

Yanina Prystauka

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Second Language Acquisition ◽

Language Processing ◽

Time Course ◽

Spanish Speakers ◽

Cell Assembly ◽

Native Spanish Speakers ◽

Time Frequency ◽

L2 Processing ◽

L2 Learners

AbstractA longstanding question in the second language acquisition literature is whether late second language (L2) learners process grammatical structures in a native-like manner. Here, we use Time Frequency Representation (TFR) analysis to test morpho-syntactic processing of clitic pronouns in native and late L2 learners of Spanish. The TFR results show overall similar power decreases in theta, alpha, and beta frequencies in both groups. Critically, the observed oscillatory effects persisted in time for native Spanish speakers, but declined earlier for L2 learners. We discuss the results using cell-assembly theory models for language processing (e.g., Pulvermüller, 1999) that posit a biphasic time-course for neural assemblies consisting of an early ignition (recognition) and a later reverberation (re-processing) phase. We propose a working hypothesis for L2 processing in tune with a cell-assembly theory suggesting that the length of the reverberation phase could be a distinguishing feature between native and L2 processing.

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Native Spanish language acquisition: the effect of age, schooling and context on responses to ‘dile’ and ‘pregúntale’

Journal of Child Language ◽

10.1017/s0305000900001793 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

pp. 453-475 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Carole Edelsky ◽

Virginia Muiña

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Language Acquisition ◽

Spanish Language ◽

Spanish Speakers ◽

Native Spanish Speakers ◽

Language Performance ◽

Relative Difficulty ◽

Spanish Language Acquisition ◽

Second Language Performance ◽

Effect Of Age

ABSTRACTThe ability to distinguish ask and tell in Spanish was studied with five groups of native Spanish speakers: adults, 7- and 10-year-olds in a full-bilingual-programme school (BISO), and 7- and 10-year-olds in a non-total BISO school. The interviews included context-present and context-absent items. Differences in these subjects' responses and those elicited by Chomsky (1969) among children acquiring English are explored. Increased age, bilingual schooling, and presence of contextual clues enhanced performance. Relative difficulty of dile and pregúntale, stages in distinguishing these in three types of constructions, and comparisons of first and second language performance are discussed.

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Production of Subject-Verb Agreement in Spanish as a Second Language

Experimental Psychology (formerly Zeitschrift für Experimentelle Psychologie) ◽

10.1026//1617-3169.50.3.196 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 50 (3) ◽

pp. 196-203 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Janet Nicol ◽

Delia Greth

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Spanish Speakers ◽

English Speakers ◽

Error Patterns ◽

Verb Agreement ◽

Different Types ◽

Semantic Variables ◽

Advanced Proficiency

Abstract. In this paper, we report the results of a study of English speakers who have learned Spanish as a second language. All were late learners who have achieved near- advanced proficiency in Spanish. The focus of the research is on the production of subject-verb agreement errors and the factors that influence the incidence of such errors. There is some evidence that English and Spanish subject-verb agreement differ in susceptibility to interference from different types of variables; specifically, it has been reported that Spanish speakers show a greater influence of semantic factors in their implementation of subject-verb agreement ( Vigliocco, Butterworth, & Garrett, 1996 ). In our study, all participants were tested in English (L1) and Spanish (L2). Results indicate nearly identical error patterns: these speakers show no greater influence of semantic variables in the computation of agreement when they are speaking Spanish than when they are speaking English.

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