LINGUIST List 13.550

Wed Feb 27 2002

Books: Language Acquisition

Editor for this issue: Dina Kapetangianni <dinalinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. LINCOM EUROPA, New books: Language Acquisition

Prosody and Prosodic Transfer in Foreign Language Acquisition: 
Cantonese and Japanese
Lai Yuk Wah, Esther
The University of Hong Kong

The present volume is an elaborate study of the prosodic system and
prosodic transfer effects in two typologically distinct languages,
Cantonese and Japanese, which are representative of two big prosodic
types, namely, tone language and pitch-accent language. The first
part of the study examines the most important features characterizing
the overall prosody of each language through a comprehensive review
over important issues in the light of present day prosodic and
phonological theories as the metrical theory, auto segmental and
prosodic phonology etc. The second part focuses on a contrastive
study to predict or explain potential areas of prosodic interference
in the foreign language classroom of Cantonese and Japanese speakers
through postulating a hierarchy of transfer parameters, with empirical
verification where necessary.

The study displays its unique contribution in multiple directions:
(a)The Cantonese stress/accent hypothesis proposed in the study is the
first attempt ever to examine closely the prosodic behaviour of
Cantonese, beyond the scope of the lexical tone. (b) The detailed
prosodic analyses as presented should greatly facilitate second
language learning for Cantonese and Japanese speakers who are both
well known to speak a second language with a strong first language
accent. (c) The scrutiny of diverse language types revealing
universal principles underlying language specific behaviour seems to
suggest that barriers between the so called "distinct prosodic types"
such as "tonal versus intonation", "rhythm of alternation versus
rhythm of succession" can be rather superficial, upon new discovery
and new interpretation of their prosodic behaviour.

ISBN 3 89586 467 6.
LINCOM Studies in Language Acquisitions 08. 
350pp. USD 62 / EUR 68 / � 44.


NEW: LINCOM electronic n.e.w.s.l.e.t.t.e.r. Monthly up-dates. 
Go to http://www.lincom-europa.com

A Students' and course discount of 40% is offered to the above title. 


LINCOM EUROPA, Freibadstr. 3, D-81543 Muenchen, Germany;
FAX +49 89 62269404;
http://www.lincom-europa.com
LINCOM.EUROPAt-online.de.