LINGUIST List 14.2738

Fri Oct 10 2003

Disc: New: RP English monophthongs & L2 speakers

Editor for this issue: Sarah Murray <sarahlinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. Akinmade Akande, The reinterpretation of RP monophthongs by L2 speakers of English

Topic: The reinterpretation of RP monophthongs by L2 speakers of English

I am a graduate student working on how L2 speakers of English acquire
the English sounds especially the vowels. My aim is to come up with
the universal principles that govern their acquisition of these
English sounds. I also hope to look at the language-specific
parameters (Licensing constraints) that exist in the MT of these L2
speakers in order to account for the strategies used in the process of
acquisition. My objectives include the identification of the phonetic
differences ang whether there are phonetic or acoustic cues which can
help these L2 speakers in acquiring the English sounds. I am carriying
out this study within the framework of Generative Grammar (although
insights from other framework will be welcome)with emphasis on
Government Phonology.

I am using Yorubas, Germans, and some other L2 speakers as my
subjects. The method being used is to examine the melodic expressions
of RP English following Kaye (1997), Harris (1994) and Ploch (1999),
look at the melodic expressions of the alternate pronunciations of RP
sounds by L2 speakers and then make a comparative analysis of these
expressions. I will then look at the licensing constraints in each of
the L2 varieties of English in order to account for parameter which
lead to phonetic variations. 

I therefore will appreciate suggestions and comments on this.

Thanks 
Akande A. T.


Subject-Language: English; Code: ENG