scholarly journals Linguistic variables of Comprehensibility, Accentedness and Fluency in L2 Spanish: Listener type and ability level differences

Loquens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. e075
Author(s):  
Enrique Santamaría Busto
Keyword(s):  
Speech Rate ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Linguistic Variables ◽  
Ability Level ◽  
Likert Scales ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
L2 Spanish ◽  
The Impact

The aim of this study is to identify which linguistic variables are most strongly related to comprehensibility, accentedness and fluency in Spanish as L2, and how the results may also vary according to the type of listener (expert or non-expert) and to the speakers’ level of ability in these three dimensions. To this end, 40 native English speakers of Spanish orally described picture narratives that were subsequently rated by four groups of raters using 9-point Likert scales. The first two groups were composed of 109 novice and 42 expert raters assessing comprehensibility, accentedness and fluency. The last two groups consisted of 35 phoneticians and 35 linguistic raters responsible for analyzing and scoring a total of 14 speech measures (7 per group) targeting pronunciation, disfluencies, lexis, grammar and discourse. The results reveal that comprehensibility is associated with a wide range of elements, while accentedness is determined especially by segmentals, and fluency by speech rate. Additionally, the impact of linguistic parameters varies according to the speakers’ level of performance, and there are differences between novice and expert raters, with the former being more affected by pronunciation and the experts by lexis and grammar.

Speech Rate Is No Simple matter

1990 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracey M. Derwing
Keyword(s):  
Native Speakers ◽  
Speech Rate ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
Pause Time ◽  
Short Film ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Articulation Rate ◽  
Simple Matter ◽  
Communicative Success

Speech rate (articulation rate and pauses) was examined for its relation to communicative success. Native English speakers (NSs) were paired with other NSs and with non-native speakers (NNSs). The subjects viewed a short film, the content of which they were to relay to their two partners independently. Communicative success was measured through comprehension questions addressed to the listeners at the completion of the task. Analyses indicated that although a slight majority of NSs slowed their speech rate for NNSs, they did not adjust articulation rate, but did significantly increase pause time. Neither speech rate nor articulation rate varied over the course of the narrations. Contrary to intuition, the subjects who successfully communicated the story to NNSs did not adjust their speech rate, while those who had difficulty communicating with NNSs increased pause time significantly. The implications of the findings are discussed, and suggestions for further research are made.

scholarly journals A comparison of vocal parameters in adult bilingual Hebrew-English speakers

CoDAS ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 483-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah Nevo ◽  
Chaya Nevo ◽  
Gisele Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
Fundamental Frequency ◽  
Speech Rate ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Frequency Variation ◽  
Bilingual Speakers ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Acoustic Analyses ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Purpose: There has been growing research on the effects of language on voice characteristics; however, few studies have examined the impact of language on vocal features within bilinguals. This study aimed to compare vocal parameters among bilingual Hebrew/English speaking individuals when speaking in Hebrew versus English. Methods: Forty bilingual participants (17 males and 23 females) between the ages of 23-60 years were asked to spontaneously speak about a neutral topic. Voice samples were digitalized into a tablet for perceptual and acoustic analyses of selected parameters. Results: Results show that there are changes in resonance, glottal attack, fundamental frequency variation and speech rate when adult bilingual speakers talk in Hebrew as compared to English. Conclusion: These findings provide evidence that language plays a role in affecting vocal characteristics of bilingual individuals when they speak different languages.

scholarly journals Assessing the Impact of Morphological Knowledge on Lexical Acquisition and Processing

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Baraa A. Rajab
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Variability ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
Lexical Acquisition ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Morphological Knowledge ◽  
Persistent Problem ◽  
Arabic Speakers ◽  
Group I ◽  
The Impact

The mastery of morphological structure and vocabulary acquisition are significantly associated. However, the association between the abilities of L2 learners to manipulate morphological elements and develop vocabulary size with native Arabic speakers needs to be assessed. This study assesses the impact of morphological knowledge on lexical acquisition and processing among English-speaking learners of Arabic. The study focused on gender (masculine/feminine) and the complete number system (singular/dual/plural) by native English speakers. The error rates and error patterns were analysed carefully to provide insight into the learner’s interlanguage grammar through the experiment. The experimental study design was used. The study sample included 40 of L2 Arabic speakers from Arabic language courses at major universities in Northern Virginia and Maryland. These were native English speakers with no exposure to Arabic before their enrolment in the university. The sample was divided into three groups (Group I, individual in the second year of Arabic program, Group II, individual in 3rd or 4th year of the program, and Group III control group, five native speakers of Arabic). Different tasks were presented to the groups, where PsychoPy software was used for task presentation. Audacity Version 2.0 was audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded by the experimenter. The production and comprehension test revealed that morphological problems are prevalent at the advanced proficiency level. It showed the role of animacy for the morphological variability and higher agreement accuracy for human targets. It concluded that morphological variability in L2 Arabic remains a persistent problem even at advanced levels of proficiency, extending to comprehension.

scholarly journals NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS VERSUS NON-NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS: THE IMPACT OF LANGUAGE TEACHERS ON EFL LEARNER'S ENGLISH PROFICIENCY

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Tariq Elyas ◽  
Noor Motlaq Alghofaili
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Ex Post ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Native English Speaking ◽  
Native English Speaking Teachers ◽  
The Impact

In the field of TESOL, the perception that Native English Speaking Teachers (NESTs) are better than Non-Native English Speaking Teachers (NNESTs) has influenced language schools, recruitment policies and institutional leadership practices. The tendency to recruit more NESTs and achieve improved learning outcomes can be seen in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and English as a Second Language (ESL) contexts. This paper aims to investigate whether NESTs or NNESTs have any impact on the EFL learners� language proficiency in Saudi EFL context. This quantitative study adopts pretest-posttest experimental and ex post facto designs to determine students� achievement in two language skills, namely speaking and listening. The two groups of participants are EFL students in a foundation year program at a Saudi Arabian University. One group was taught by a NEST and the other by a NNEST. The quantitative data were analyzed by using SPSS. The findings indicated that teachers� nativeness and backgrounds have no significant effects on the Saudi EFL learners� speaking and listening skills. Here, Saudi EFL learners can equally perform in classes taught by NESTs or NNESTs. In the light of the findings, the study suggests that recruitment policy should not be influenced by the employers� belief that NESTs possess better teaching skills than NNESTs.��

scholarly journals Code Switching in ESL Teaching at University Level in Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Muhammad Younas ◽  
Muhammad Afzaal ◽  
Uzma Noor ◽  
Samina Khalid ◽  
Swaleha Naqvi
Keyword(s):  
Native English Speakers ◽  
Code Switching ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Esl Teachers ◽  
Proper Nouns ◽  
Code Mixing ◽  
Communicative Strategy ◽  
Esl Instruction ◽  
Esl Learners ◽  
The Impact

Code-switching (CS) is a communicative strategy used by ESL bilingual teachers to teach English as a second language to non-native English speakers. Based on quantitative analysis of transcribed data from thirty ESL teachers at Pakistani universities, the present study examined the influence of code switching (CS) on ESL learners in Pakistan, exploring in particular the impact of CS on and teacher attitude towards CS in ESL instruction. The findings of the study indicate significant use of code-mixing and frequency of mixing words, phrase and the smallest unit of one language into another language. Furthermore, the findings suggest that CS is frequently used by the ESL teachers. The study also highlights that common nouns are followed by proper nouns, adjectives, verbs and abbreviations, with the most significant words used during instantiation of CS in the data comprising lexical items, phrases, compound words, and encouraging words. Thus, this study suggests that CS is used to facilitate the comprehension and participation of the bilingual learners.

scholarly journals Short Vowels and Context Effects: The Case of English Speakers Reading Arabic

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 93
Author(s):  
Asmaa Shehata
Keyword(s):  
Context Effects ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Arabic Orthography ◽  
Reading Accuracy ◽  
Short Vowels ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Reading Context ◽  
The Impact

The present study examines the impact of both short vowels and context on adult native English speakers’ reading accuracy of Arabic orthography. To this end, two groups of adult Arabic learners with different proficiency levels were recruited: 30 second-year, and 30 third-year learners. Subjects were instructed to read 50 isolated words, 20 sentences and 10 paragraphs in two different reading conditions: vocalized and unvocalized. Findings demonstrated a significant positive influence of both short vowels and context on second-year learners’ word recognition of the target stimuli. That is, second year Arabic learners had better accuracy when reading vocalized texts compared to unvocalized ones and were significantly more accurate at reading paragraphs and sentences than isolated words. However, third-year students’ reading accuracy was only significantly affected by the reading context.

contrastive study of discourse markers used by native and Chinese L2 English speakers across speech context

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-126
Author(s):  
Binmei Liu
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Explicit Instruction ◽  
Discourse Markers ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
Chinese Speakers ◽  
Contrastive Study ◽  
Language Classrooms ◽  
The Impact

Discourse markers (DMs) are difficult even for advanced L2 speakers compared with L1 speakers because of their special linguistic features. The influence of contextual factors on the use of DMs has not been examined in detail in the literature. The present article investigates the impact of speech contexts (interview vs conversation) on the use of DMs by native and advanced Chinese speakers of English. Data for the study were gathered using individual sociolinguistic interviews and group conversations. A quantitative analysis revealed that native English speakers used and and just more frequently in the interviews than in the conversations at a significant level; the Chinese speakers of English used oh, ok, and uh huh significantly more often in the conversations than in the interviews. A qualitative analysis showed that the functions of well varied across the contexts by both groups. The article further analyses the reasons for these differences: they can be due to different functions of individual markers across contexts or influence of L2 speakers’ native language (Mandarin Chinese), etc. The results indicate that the advanced L2 English speakers may not have acquired some DMs used by the native English speakers in terms of frequency and functions across the speech contexts. The article suggests that explicit instruction of functions of DMs which are difficult for L2 speakers of English can be strengthened in EFL/ESL (English as a foreign/second language) classrooms.

scholarly journals The Effect of Changing Colours on Central Crowding Reading

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 196-200
Author(s):  
Abdullah Alsalhi ◽  
Nadia Northway ◽  
Abd Elaziz Mohamed Elmadina
Keyword(s):  
Cross Section ◽  
Intervention Study ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
White Background ◽  
Visual Comfort ◽  
Impaired Vision ◽  
Central Target ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Visual Crowding

Background: Crowding can be defined as the impaired recognition of closely spaced objects. Changing colour and lighting enhance visual comfort and perceptual troubles that influence impaired vision reading. Objective: The current study was aimed to investigate the impact of changing the flanker distance and unflanked targets with colours on central crowding reading for subjects with their distant best correction (BCVA) equal to or greater than 6/6. Methodology: Six native English speakers (age: 18–38) who participated in a cross-section intervention study were asked to identify the orientation of the letter E (flanked or unflanked) in different directions around the central target in different colours (red, green, blue and black) on a white background. Results: Different colours affect central crowding (p<0.05). However, the central crowding reading of red was not affected by changing flankers (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Central reading crowding is visual crowding. Different colours affect central crowding. However, the central crowding reading in red was not affected by changes in flankers.

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