scholarly journals The phonation types in Fuzhou Chinese

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Changhe Chen
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Acoustic Measure

This pilot study provides an acoustic description of the phonation types in Fuzhou Chinese. Speech samples from 5 native speakers show that tones [21 242 24] are breathy, while [44 32 4] are mainly modal and [51] is modal-breathy. Acoustic measure HNR35 can distinguish these phonation types, while H1*-A1* can only differentiate [24] and the end of [51] from other tones.

A Recurrent Word Combination Approachto the Study of Formulae in the Speech of Native and Non-Native Speakers of English

1998 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvie De Cock
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Quantitative Comparison ◽  
Automatic Extraction ◽  
Word Combination ◽  
Full Discussion ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
Recurrent Word

This article reports on a pilot study into how corpus methods can be applied to the study of one type of phraseological unit, formulae, in native speaker and learner speech. Formulae, or formulaic expressions, are multi-word units performing a pragmatic and/or discourse-structuring function and have been characterised as being typically native-like. The methodology presented here is contrastive and involves the use of computerised corpora of both native and non-native speaker speech. It consists of two steps: (1) the automatic extraction of all recurrent word combinations to produce lists of potential formulae, and (2) a carefully specified manual filtering process designed to reduce these lists to lists of actual formulaic usage. The results of this process allow for the first genuine quantitative comparison of formulae in the speech of native and non-native speakers, which in turn has significant implications for SLA research. This paper focuses on methodology and does not present a full discussion of the results. However, selected example findings are presented to support the approach adopted.

scholarly journals Phonetic Imitation of Vowel Duration in L2 Speech

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Zając
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Social Factors ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Naming Task ◽  
Vowel Duration ◽  
English Speaker ◽  
British English ◽  
English Vowels ◽  
L2 Pronunciation

This paper reports the results of a pilot study concerned with phonetic imitation in the speech of Polish learners of English. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether native speakers of Polish imitate the length of English vowels and to determine whether the extent of phonetic imitation may be influenced by the model talker being a native or a non-native speaker of English. The participants were asked to perform an auditory naming task in which they indentified objects and actions presented on a set of photos twice, with and without the imitation task. The imitation task was further sub-divided depending on the model talker being a native or non-native speaker of English (a native Southern British English speaker and a native Polish speaker fluent in English). As the aim was to investigate the variability in durational characteristics of English vowels, the series of front vowels /æ e ɪ iː/ were analysed in the shortening and lengthening b_t vs. b_d contexts. The results of the study show that the participants imitated the length of the investigated vowels as a result of exposure to the two model talkers. The data suggest that the degree of imitation was mediated both by linguistic and social factors and that the direction of convergence might have been affected by the participants’ attitude toward L2 pronunciation.

scholarly journals USING THINK ALOUD PROTOCOLS TO ASSESS THE USE OF THE DEFINITE ARTICLE WITH SERBIAN STUDENTS OF ENGLISH

2019 ◽  
pp. 133
Author(s):  
Marta Veličković
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Definite Article ◽  
English Department ◽  
Think Aloud ◽  
English Speaker ◽  
Think Aloud Protocols ◽  
Think Aloud Protocol ◽  
Approach To Teaching

One of the issues which has not received enough attention in the Serbian linguistic environment is how Serbian (L1) learners of English (L2) decide which criteria are sufficient and appropriate for the use of the definite article in English. The success that linguists would have in mapping these criteria could make it possible for us to identify key problem areas in this case, and thus provide our students with appropriate and explicit input regarding how to better understand the use of the definite article. What this type of knowledge could lead to is a more specialized approach to teaching articles to non-native speakers (NNS) in the L1 Serbian/L2 English speaker community. With this aim in mind, we have carried out a pilot study which included six NNS of English, seniors at the English Department of the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Niš. Using the method of the think-aloud protocol and a specially-designed fill-in-the-blank task, we attempted to elicit information from our respondents regarding which rules for definite article use, whether specific or non-specific, they rely on and how they account for the use of the definite article in select anaphoric definite and associative definite contexts.

Some aspects of repair in native and non-native speaker conversations in English

1999 ◽  
Vol 125-126 ◽  
pp. 253-275
Author(s):  
Martha Eleftheriadou ◽  
Richard Badger
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Theory Building ◽  
Spoken Discourse ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
General Preferences

Abstract The ability to carry out repairs is a key skill in spoken discourse for non-native speakers of English and has been widely studied. However, VAN HEST et al. (1997) have suggested that investigations into repair in L2 need to be more theoretically driven and less concerned with individual differences. Drawing on information from a pilot study of twenty-three conversations, lasting 185 minutes between six native and six non-native speakers, this paper argues that there is no conflict between a concern with individual differences and theory building. What is needed is a contextualised theory which is grounded in particular situations and individual differences. The paper identifies three possible areas of difficulty that may arise if a theory is not contextualised. Firstly, the paper argues that theory driven research encourages methods of data collection that we characterise as experimental and suggest that these need to be supplemented by more naturalistic forms of data collection. Secondly, the paper criticises the view that there are general preferences as to who initiates and who completes repairs and argues that a contextualised theory of repair would capture initiation/completion patterns more adequately. Finally, the paper argues that the distinction between native and non-native speakers needs to be re-examined. This is supported by the finding in the pilot study that there was little variation between native and non-native speakers in terms of these analyses.

Roadrunners and Eagles

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Shockey ◽  
Małgorzata Ćavar
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
University Students ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Ceteris Paribus ◽  
Conceptual Similarity ◽  
Preliminary Results ◽  
Phonetic Detail ◽  
Casual Speech

Our previous research on perception of gated casual English by university students suggests that ceteris paribus, Polish students are much more accurate than Greeks. A recent pilot study of casually-spoken Polish leads us to the conclusion that many shortcuts found in English are also common in Polish, so that similar perceptual strategies can be used in both languages, though differing in detail. Based on these preliminary results, it seems likely that perceptual strategies across languages tend towards the “eagle” approach - where a birds-eye view of the acoustic terrain without too much emphasis on detail is found - or the “roadrunner” approach, where phonetic detail is followed closely. In the former case, perceivers adjust easily to alternation caused by casual speech phonology while in the latter, perceivers expect little variation and possibly even find it confusing. Native speakers of Greek are “roadrunners”, since there is little phonological reduction in their language there is little difference, for example, between stressed and unstressed syllables. We suggest that native speakers of Polish join English speakers as “eagles”, which gives them a natural perceptual advantage in English. There is a conceptual similarity between this idea and that of the stress- or syllable-timed language, and we hypothesise that as in this case, there is a cline rather than a sharp division between eagles and roadrunners. As usual, more research is called for.

scholarly journals Facilitating reflection in teletandem through automatically generated conversation metrics and playback video

2021 ◽  
pp. 88-93
Author(s):  
Aparajita Dey-Plissonneau ◽  
Hyowon Lee ◽  
Michael Scriney ◽  
Alan F. Smeaton ◽  
Vincent Pradier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Qualitative Review ◽  
Confidence Levels ◽  
L2 Learners ◽  
Learning English

This pilot study focuses on a tool called L2L that allows second language (L2) learners to visualise and analyse their Zoom interactions with native speakers. L2L uses the Zoom transcript to automatically generate conversation metrics and its playback feature with timestamps allows students to replay any chosen portion of the conversation for post-session reflection and self-review. This exploratory study investigates a seven-week teletandem project, where undergraduate students from an Irish university learning French (B2) interacted with their peers from a French university learning English (B2+) via Zoom. The data collected from a survey (N=43) and semi-structured interviews (N=35) show that the quantitative conversation metrics and qualitative review of the synchronous content helped raise students’ confidence levels while engaging with native speakers. Furthermore, it allowed them to set tangible goals to improve their participation, and be more aware of what, why, and how they are learning.

scholarly journals PERILAKU FONOLOGI KONSONAN DI AKHIR KATA DIALEK PETANI SIK[THE PHONOLOGICAL BEHAVIOUR OF WORD-FINAL CONSONANTS IN THE PETANI SIK DIALECT]

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 316
Author(s):  
Nur Syazwani Abdul Salam ◽  
Sharifah Raihan Syed Jaafar
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Final Position ◽  
Phonological Processes ◽  
The North ◽  
Phonological Knowledge ◽  
Unique Identity ◽  
Study Questionnaire ◽  
Identity Symbol

Kajian ini mendeskripsikan perilaku fonologi konsonan yang berada di akhir kata dalam dialek Petani Sik yang dituturkan di daerah Sik, Kedah, Malaysia. Terdapat beberapa fenomena fonologi yang berlaku di akhir kata dalam dialek Petani Sik, Kedah lantaran sekatan ke atas kehadiran sesetengah konsonan di posisi dalam dialek ini. Data kajian telah diperoleh melalui kajian rintis, soal selidik serta kajian lapangan yang melibatkan pemerhatian dan rakaman. Pengumpulan data dilakukan di Kampung Telaga Batu, Sik, Kedah dengan memilih 30 penutur natif yang berumur antara 45 hingga 75 tahun. Hasil analisis menunjukkan konsonan /r/, /l/, /s/, /m/ dan /h/ tidak dibenarkan hadir di akhir kata dalam dialek Petani Sik. Kehadiran konsonan-konsonan ini telah ditangani dengan proses fonologi seperti peleburan, penggantian, penyisipan dan pengguguran. Penggantian konsonan /s/ kepada [ç] yang didahului oleh vokal tinggi dan /s/ kepada [h] yang didahului oleh vokal /a/ serta diikuti oleh penyisipan [j] sebelum konsonan tersebut merupakan output dialek Petani Sik yang paling menarik khusunya bunyi [ç]. Kehadirannya dalam dialek-dialek Melayu sangat terhad hanya kepada dialek Kedah Utara dan tidak wujud dalam bahasa Melayu standard. Kemunculannya yang terbatas ini menjadi lambang identiti unik dalam dialek Kedah khususnya dialek Petani Sik. Penelitian proses fonologi di akhir kata dalam dialek Petani Sik memberi implikasi sebagai nilai tambah kepada kajian terdahulu selain sebagai perintis ke arah penyelidikan ilmiah yang memelihara dan mendokumentasikan sistem nahu sebuah dialek Melayu yang semakin kurang penuturnya.Kata kunci: Bahasa Melayu, dialek Kedah, dialek Petani Sik, fonologi, konsonan akhir kata. ABSTRACTThis study describes the phonological behaviour of word-final consonants in the Petani Sik dialect spoken in the Sik region of Kedah, Malaysia. There are a number of phonological phenomena which occur at word-final position in the Petani Sik dialect due to restriction on the presence of consonants at this position of word. Data for this study were obtained through pilot study, questionnaire and fieldwork which included observation and recording. Data gathering at Kampung Telaga Batu, Sik, Kedah was carried out involving 30 native speakers aged between 45 and 75 years. The findings show that consonants /r/, /l/, /s/, /m/ and /h/ are not allowed to occur at word-final position in the Petani Sik dialect. The occurrence of these consonants has been resolved by the phonological processes namely coalescence, substitution, epenthesis and deletion. The substitution consonant from /s/ to [ç] which is preceded by a high vowel and from /s/ to [h] before /a/ which is then followed by the epenthesis [j] before the consonant are the most interesting outputs yielded from the dialect particularly the [ç]sound. Its presence in Malay dialects is limited only for the North Kedah dialect. It also does not exist in the standard Malay. The limited presence of this sound is interesting as it represents a unique identity symbol for Kedah dialect particularly Petani Sik dialect. This study contributes to the phonological knowledge in the dialect and it documents the grammar of a Malay dialect which now has less speakers.Keywords: Kedah dialect, Malay language, Petani Sik dialect, phonology, word-final position.Cite as: Salam, N. S. & Syed Jaafar, S. R. (2019). Perilaku fonologi konsonan di akhir kata dialek petani Sik. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 4(1), 316-343. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol4iss1pp316-343

scholarly journals Extrametricality and second language acquisition

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guilherme Duarte Garcia
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Second Language Learners ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Speakers Of English ◽  
Phonetic Cues ◽  
Stress Patterns

This pilot study investigates the second language acquisition (SLA) of stress in Portuguese (L2) by native speakers of English (L1). In particular, it examines the interaction between extrametricality and default stress through two judgement tasks. Stress is suprasegmental, relative and involves a variety of phonetic correlates: Cross-linguistically, stressed syllables tend to be realized with higher pitch, longer duration and greater intensity—but languages differ as to which of these correlates is more or less significant. Phonologically, stress presents some unique characteristics, such as the absence of a categorical feature [±stress]. Languages may also differ as to whether syllable shape affects stress (weight-sensitive) or not (weight-insensitive). Second language learners (L2ers) have to deal with such variability and, more importantly, have to acquire new stress patterns—some of which are often vastly different (even contradictory) when compared to the patterns (and phonetic cues) in their L1.

scholarly journals Seeking the Portuguese Vocabulary Profile

10.29007/xw8n ◽  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shintaro Torigoe
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Learner Corpora ◽  
Vocabulary List

This paper reports on a pilot study from the Portuguese Vocabulary Profile project. In this pilot study, a vocabulary list for learners of Portuguese was developed by analysing learner corpora, an approach inspired by CEFR-based wordlists, such as the English Vocabulary Profile. A draft wordlist was constructed from two learner corpora of L2 Portuguese, the Corpora do PLE and the Corpus de PEAPL2. The draft wordlist was then compared to the LMCPC, a wordlist derived from a million-word native speaker corpus, in order to investigate differences between learners and native speakers and to identify aspects of the wordlist needing improvement. The pilot study indicated that the use of Portuguese by the Intermediate and Advanced learner is quite different from that of native speakers and that learner’s language use was affected by data collection tasks and learning environments.

Concordancing and comprehension: preliminary observations on using concordance output to predict pitfalls

ReCALL ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARIE-MADELEINE KENNING
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Representative Sample ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Language Pedagogy ◽  
Three Stages

This paper presents an innovative application of concordancing to the study of comprehension based on the hypothesis that the presence of noise in raw concordance data brings to light the existence of strings liable to cause unsuspected comprehension problems to language learners. The paper explains how the hypothesis was arrived at before proceeding to describe and discuss an experiment specially designed so as to test its validity. In the course of this experiment eight post A-level students and two native speakers/teachers of French were observed processing the raw output of a concordance of the string bien que. Details of the concordance data are given, broken down in broad categories (concessive conjunction bien que, resultative conjunction si bien que, adverb + completive, etc.). The findings are reported in three stages corresponding to those of the experiment: a pilot study involving two of the students, a repeat of the experiment with the two native speakers, and a second learner study with a larger, more representative sample of six students. Between them the results are found to provide empirical evidence in support of the hypothesis. The main outcome is that contrary to the native speakers, none of the post A-level students was able to interpret all the citations correctly. Other significant results are that difficulties were spread unevenly across citations and were more common among those with lower grades. The implications for language pedagogy are then examined. The paper concludes that concordances can be helpful in predicting potential pitfalls and ends with some suggestions for future research.

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