This thesis identifies the social and phonetic variables that affect the learning process of Dutch L2 learners (second language acquisition). The native and non-native speakers who were asked to...Show moreThis thesis identifies the social and phonetic variables that affect the learning process of Dutch L2 learners (second language acquisition). The native and non-native speakers who were asked to participate in this research provided authentic audio recordings, which were added to the two online surveys that were used. The survey respondents that participated in this empirical study were asked to share their thoughts, via an online survey, on the individual speakers, with its primarily focus on the phonetic and social variables. By analysing the results of this research and examining the correlation between these results and the literature discussed, it was possible to draw a conclusion on which social and phonetic variables obstruct the learning process of Dutch L2 learners. This thesis concludes that the social variables (the division between a younger and older group of participants) and the phonetic variables (sounds that were identified as unintelligible and/or intolerable) that were recognized in this empirical research are collectively responsible for disrupting the comprehension and production of sounds for second language learners. Keywords: phonetic variables, sociolinguistic choices, sound systems, IPA, L1, L2Show less
This study aimed to investigate how Dutch natives with a different exposure to English as a second language process Dutch sentences with a preposition stranding structure. It reacts on an earlier...Show moreThis study aimed to investigate how Dutch natives with a different exposure to English as a second language process Dutch sentences with a preposition stranding structure. It reacts on an earlier study by Koopman (2010), who reported that P-stranding is only grammatical with r-pronouns and not with non-r DPs. Preposition stranding with non-r DPs is grammatical in English, and English is becoming more and more present as a second language in the Netherlands. Therefore, the present study tested whether preposition stranding in Dutch could be undergoing a shift towards the English structure, and whether we could see this reflected in the processing strategies of on the one hand, a group of students with a high exposure to English and on the other hand, a group of student with a low exposure to English. Two groups of students were tested in a word-by-word self-paced reading task, and the results showed a clear difference between the two groups. Even if at first the obtained results seemed contradictory with the hypothesized results, as the high proficient group showed a bigger slowdown after the stranded P than the low proficient group, after critical reflection on the stimuli and the data, evidence was found that the high proficient group uses an English processing mode while reading Dutch sentences with a seemingly English structure.Show less
Rhythm is an organizational device in language and in music. In both domains, rhythm helps to structure the sound stream (speech or music), by grouping auditory events, that is, sounds and pauses,...Show moreRhythm is an organizational device in language and in music. In both domains, rhythm helps to structure the sound stream (speech or music), by grouping auditory events, that is, sounds and pauses, into meaningful units together in a hierarchical manner. In language, speech rhythm is of importance because it helps speech segmentation and intelligibility and it belongs to the linguistic inventory of a language. Mastering the rhythmic properties of a language is just as important as mastering any relevant linguistic information. When learning a second language (L2), together with its vocabulary and grammar, second language learners must also master a set of rhythmic properties that are either in partial or in complete overlap with their first language or that are completely different. This is the case because languages of the world diverge in terms of their use of rhyhtmic properties and metric preferences. Previous research has described the world' s languages as being stress-timed, syllable-timed or mora-timed languages. Stress-timed languages, from which English is the exemplary item, have the metric foot as their unit of speech perception and production. The metric foot is a combination of one stressed syllable dominating zero or more unstressed ones. In syllable-timed languages, is the syllable, regardless of stress that functions as unit of speech production and perception. In mora-timed languages, it is the mora, a sub-unit of the syllable. Being sensitive to different sets of rhythmic properties may present an advantage to L2 learners, as these could help them more promptly identify and select the target language. Previous research has shown that individuals who master languages with different rhythmic properties are more sensitive to music rhythmic variation than individuals who master languages with similar rhythmic preferences or with very low-proficiency in an L2. The current thesis addresses two of these claims, namely, that learning languages with similar rhythmic properties does not present such an advantage to rhythmic perception as mastering languages with distinct use of rhythm; and that learning a second language, regardless of its rhythmic similarities to or differences from one's first language, enhances individuals' rhythmic perception. This thesis does so by conducting two meta-analyses, using data from two different studies by Roncaglia-Denissen and colleagues (2016; 2013). The results support both claims, namely that learning a second language with similar rhythmic properties as one's first language does not present such a great advantage as mastering languages with different rhythmic properties and that proficiency in a second language is positively associated with individuals' music rhythmic perception. The implication of these findings is that speech rhythm seems to be part of a domain-general skill, which is used in and transferred to different cognitive domains, whenever acoustic similarities between domains are encountered.Show less
In a threefold study linking sociolinguistics to the field of second language acquisition, I investigated what values students indexed through their L2 English accent. I related this to their...Show moreIn a threefold study linking sociolinguistics to the field of second language acquisition, I investigated what values students indexed through their L2 English accent. I related this to their identity. Indexicality is a framework that attatches linguistic variables to social meanings (e.g. Eckert, 2008, Trousdale, 2010, p. 48). The social meanings attached to speech are valued unequally across social groups, and therefore, some language is more likely to be heard and respected than others in a construct termed the ‘linguistic marketplace’ by Bourdieu and Boltanski (Eckert, 2000, p. 13). This study involved questionnaires (n=99), interviews (n=4), and investigations into students’ sound files (n=18). The majority of the students (71%) aspired to a British accent, which could be related to findings in the questionnaire: namely that students rated sounding native and intelligent highly. When interviewed, students stated that a British accent, and specifically Received Pronunciation (RP), sounded more intelligent, and had more prestige attached to it. Investigation by Edwards (2016) reveals that the British accent is still considered the default model in the Netherlands. Thus it appears they have appropriated this norm, and thereby maximise the value of their speech on the linguistic marketplace. Moreover, students likely wish to signal their intelligence and expertise by emulating the British ideal. In general, students sounded predominantly British in their sound files (52% on average), though they had 40% Dutch influence on average, and also traces of American influences, like t-flapping and rhoticity. Besides L1 interference this showed students also incorporated aspects of speech which likely had covert prestige for them. In general, students’ accent preferences signal their academic, professional identity, but do not seem to index all aspects of their identity. When applied to the wider L2 acquisition field, this study illustrates identity expression may not be a priority of learners; instead, they may wish to appropriate a most standard and accepted accent.Show less
