Objectives: This thesis is a replication study of previous work on Spanish-English code-switching (Stadthagen-González, Parafita Couto, Párraga and Damian, 2017) and focuses on comparative...Show moreObjectives: This thesis is a replication study of previous work on Spanish-English code-switching (Stadthagen-González, Parafita Couto, Párraga and Damian, 2017) and focuses on comparative judgments, with regard to adjective-noun order in Papiamento-Dutch code-switched utterances. It examines the predictions of adjective-noun order derived from two different theoretical models: the Minimalist Program (Cantone & MacSwan, 2009) and the Matrix Language Framework (Myers-Scotton, 2002). In Dutch, adjectives are prenominal, like ‘zwarte hond’ (‘black dog’), whereas in Papiamento, adjectives are mostly post-nominal, as in ‘kachó pretu’ (literally: ‘dog black’). The Matrix Language Framework (MLF) posits that the word order in code-switched sentences must follow the word order of the Matrix Language (determined by finite verb morphology) (Myers-Scotton, 2002). However, according to Cantone and MacSwan (2009) within the Minimalist Program (MP), the word order depends on the adjective’s language. Methodology and analysis: To evaluate these predictions, 10 monolingual base sentences were modified into 40 code-switched items, consistent with the MP, the MLF, with both or none of the theoretical models. Data was gathered by a 2-Alternative Forced Choice (2AFC) task, concentrating explicitly on switches in adjective-noun word order and was analysed using Thurstone’s Law of Comparative Judgment (Thurstone, 1927). Conclusions: Results of the thirty-seven bilinguals that participated in this experiment, indicate that both the language of the verb as well as the language of the adjective are used to determine word order in code-switched sentences and these results do not differ much from those of the similar study regarding Spanish-English bilinguals (Stadthagen-González et.al., 2017). Evidence showed that neither of the two theoretical models can fully account for the acceptability of adjective-noun switches. Implications: A suggestion would be to combine the insights of both the Minimalist Program and the Matrix Language Framework to be able to understand grammaticality in code-switching, as already proposed by Stadthagen-González et.al., (2017).Show less
Previous studies have indicated that native and non-native listeners’ attention to differences in segments and lexical tones is heightened when language context is removed. Do they also display...Show morePrevious studies have indicated that native and non-native listeners’ attention to differences in segments and lexical tones is heightened when language context is removed. Do they also display greater sensitivity to intonational differences in the absence of language context? To examine this question, this thesis tests the ability of Dutch and Mandarin listeners to identify Mandarin questions and statements that differ only in intonation in three different levels of language context: no language context, a neutral language context, and a constraining language context. All listeners were found to identify questions and statements better with each increasing level of language context. This suggests that the presence of a meaningful semantic context facilitates the perception of intonational meaning. Moreover, Mandarin listeners were better at identifying questions and statements than non-native listeners in sentences with language context. But the difference between Mandarin and Dutch listeners’ abilities was minimal in sentences without language context. This result suggests that the effect of language experience on intonation perception is diminished at the lower auditory processing level.Show less
Research master thesis | Linguistics (research) (MA)
open access
Previous studies have found that non-standard language varieties are at risk of discrimination in legal contexts. Additionally, slow speech has been shown to be less credible than normal speech....Show morePrevious studies have found that non-standard language varieties are at risk of discrimination in legal contexts. Additionally, slow speech has been shown to be less credible than normal speech. However, little is known about how accent and speech rate interact. In order to investigate this phenomenon further, this thesis examines how Dutch listeners judge utterances on a seven-point scale when presented with auditory stimuli in two accents of Dutch (Standard Dutch and Moroccan Dutch) and two speech rates (normal and slow). Contrary to previous studies indicating that non-standard language is perceived as less credible, the results of this study revealed that listeners generally perceive both accents as equally credible at a normal speed. Slower speech was judged as less credible in both varieties, but Standard Dutch was given lower ratings overall. The results suggest that what has previously been established for slow speech in languages such as English also holds true for Dutch, and may have adverse consequences for individuals in contact with the law.Show less
The popular musical genre known as hip-hop was introduced in the Netherlands in the 1980s; over the years the Dutch developed their own particular type of hip-hop known as Nederhop. According to...Show moreThe popular musical genre known as hip-hop was introduced in the Netherlands in the 1980s; over the years the Dutch developed their own particular type of hip-hop known as Nederhop. According to Gazzah (2008), Nederhop is merely the 'regular' variant of Dutch hip-hop, as immigrants of Moroccan descent participating in the Nederhop scene have created a new subgenre called Maroc-hop using elements from Moroccan traditional music. This work provides information on these musical genres as well as an overview of the languages and processes involved in the creation of Nederhop and Maroc-hop. By investigating the way lyrics are set to music, and how rhyme is used in both subgenres I attempt to identify the linguistic components that distinguish Nederhop from Maroc-hop.Show less
The phonetic-pragmatic interface has provided linguistics with an interesting question that the literature has not yet been able to answer conclusively: Does intonation directly communicate meaning...Show moreThe phonetic-pragmatic interface has provided linguistics with an interesting question that the literature has not yet been able to answer conclusively: Does intonation directly communicate meaning? This thesis describes an exploratory elicitation experiment in which the effects of two pragmatic dimensions on the production of Dutch intonation is examined within three core meanings: “testing”, “selection”, “selection plus”. The productions of native speakers – realised on two-syllable proper names – were recorded in four pragmatic dimension combinations: default or vocative (orientation), and formal or informal (politeness). The meanings and pragmatic dimensions were embodied in situational contexts that served to elicit individual intonation contours for each meaning configuration. Additionally, the effect of word length was considered in a secondary experiment by employing one- and three-syllable proper names in a constant pragmatic environment. Results show a main effect of orientation across core meanings caused by different contextual variables. Politeness yielded only one main effect as a result of the configuration of speaker-hearer relations. Productions were found to be consistent across word lengths. The effects of the pragmatic dimensions are of definite influence on the production of Dutch intonation contours, but they could not be generalised across core meanings due to context discrepancies, indicating the importance of situational background.Show less
This thesis provides an exploratory account of white lies in Dutch. There is no literature explicitly dedicated to white lies in the Dutch language. This gap provides the starting point for this...Show moreThis thesis provides an exploratory account of white lies in Dutch. There is no literature explicitly dedicated to white lies in the Dutch language. This gap provides the starting point for this exploratory study which aims to contribute to a wider research agenda investigating the definition of lying and how different types of lies may be distinguished in different contexts and cultures. The main research question of this thesis is: How are white lies used by native speakers of Dutch? A two-part investigation, consisting of a questionnaire and a role-play, shows that native speakers of Dutch use white lies in everyday conversations. White lies are used to benefit both the speaker and the hearer, but they are also used to avoid undesirable scenarios.Show less
Dutch speakers have differing ways of pronouncing the English loanword . This thesis attempts to research these different pronunciations, through auditory analysis using phonetics, and through...Show moreDutch speakers have differing ways of pronouncing the English loanword . This thesis attempts to research these different pronunciations, through auditory analysis using phonetics, and through formant measurements. Additionally, Dutch speakers’ evaluations of the different phonetic realisations of were researched. 15 Dutch speakers were interviewed, and their ways of pronouncing noted. The results show, among other things, which form of pronunciation of was most used by the participants; the degree of consistency in pronunciation per participant (using a newly-developed technique called the IVS-technique); the formant measurements of the vowels participants used for in ; and the participants’ attitudes towards specific pronunciations of .Show less
In this master thesis, I did research on the frenchification of Dutch in a corpus of pamflets from the Low Countries in the period 1525 - 1875. The results showed that the period 1525 - 1675...Show moreIn this master thesis, I did research on the frenchification of Dutch in a corpus of pamflets from the Low Countries in the period 1525 - 1875. The results showed that the period 1525 - 1675 consisted significantly more suffixes than the period 1725 - 1875, which was in contrary with the hypotheses.Show less
Deze scriptie betrof een onderzoek naar de Tweede Boerenoorlog, waarbij een groep onverzoenlijke krijgsgevangenen na afloop van de oorlog zich heeft gevestigd in Nederlands-Indie om daar een...Show moreDeze scriptie betrof een onderzoek naar de Tweede Boerenoorlog, waarbij een groep onverzoenlijke krijgsgevangenen na afloop van de oorlog zich heeft gevestigd in Nederlands-Indie om daar een landbouwkolonie te runnen die zij kregen toegewezen door de Nederlandse regering in Indië.Show less
This thesis provides an insight in how cross-cultural relations took place and how the VOC legal system functioned in the 17th century in a multi-cultural place like Cochin on the southwest coast...Show moreThis thesis provides an insight in how cross-cultural relations took place and how the VOC legal system functioned in the 17th century in a multi-cultural place like Cochin on the southwest coast of India. This is done through legal sources that are from fort Cochin. Of these legal sources the emphesis lies on cases between non-Europeans vs Europeans and non-Europeans vs non-Europeans.Show less
