Wlthtn-category variation in l2 english vowel learning

Authors

  • Ron I. Thomson Dept. of Applied Linguistics, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
  • Talia Isaacs Dept. of Integrated Studies in Education, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1Y2, Canada

Keywords:

Canadian english, English vowels, Male speakers, Orthographic representations, Second language, Word lists

Abstract

A study was conducted to investigate whether second language (L2) learners had the ability to produce English vowels when they were presented in more familiar words and when learners had access to orthographic representations of those words. A number of Standard Mandarin-speaking and Slavic students participated in the study. All these students had enrolled in intensive ESL classes for an average of 5.2 months and were assessed as beginners by the Canadian Language Benchmarks. Stimuli for the investigations comprised of a list of 30 English progressive verbs containing 10 target Canadian English vowels. Words were also selected to include a range of onsets so as to solve any potential contextual biases in performance. The resulting word list was randomized and a male speaker of Canadian English was recorded producing each word with a five second pause inserted between items.

Additional Files

Published

2009-09-01

How to Cite

1.
Thomson RI, Isaacs T. Wlthtn-category variation in l2 english vowel learning. Canadian Acoustics [Internet]. 2009 Sep. 1 [cited 2024 Mar. 28];37(3):138-9. Available from: https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/2172

Issue

Section

Proceedings of the Acoustics Week in Canada