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Title:
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Interlanguage Variability: Studies on L2 consonant cluster simplification
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Author:
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Yuh-Huey Lin
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Degree Awarded:
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National Tsing Hua University
, Graduate Institute of Linguistics
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Degree Date:
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2001
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Linguistic Subfield(s):
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Language Acquisition
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Director(s):
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Feng-fu Tsao
Hsu Wang
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Abstract:
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This thesis consists of three individual experimental studies each of which investigates certain factor(s) that might play some role in constraining L2 learners' consonant cluster simplification. Study I examines the effect of word-length on Chinese learners' choice of the two strategies vowel epenthesis and consonant deletion, Study II explores the effect of style or task formality on the learners' use of the three simplification strategies vowel epenthesis, consonant deletion, and consonant replacement, and Study III is an even more comprehensive study, investigating a wider range of extra-linguistic factors such as gender, proficiency, and interlocutor on the epenthesis/deletion ratio. Results showed that (1) unlike 'cluster length', 'word length' did not play a role in determining consonant cluster simplification; rather, the Chinese EFL learners' choice of simplification strategies revealed the same preference for disyllabicity as demonstrated in previous studies on Chinese EFL word-final obstruents (Study I), (2) the proportion of epenthesis increased with increasing formality of the tasks (Study II), and (3) higher epenthesis/deletion ratio was obtained from more formal styles, female students, students of higher proficiency, and females' conversation with their NNS peer. The results of the three studies not only contribute to the understanding of interlanguage syllable structures, build the bridge between SLA and sociolinguistic research, but also provide implications for EFL teachers and SLA researchers in their treatment of learners' errors as well as formulation of hypotheses for future studies.
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