LINGUIST List 25.701
Tue
Feb 11 2014
Diss: French, Phonology,
Language Acquisition: Andreassen: 'Schwa:
Distribution and acquisition ...'
Editor for this issue:
Xiyan Wang <xiyanlinguistlist.org>
Date: 10-Feb-2014
From: Helene Andreassen
<helene.n.andreassen
uit.no>
Subject: Schwa: Distribution
and acquisition in light of Swiss French
data
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Institution: UiT The Arctic University of
Norway
Program: Department of Linguistics
Dissertation Status: Completed
Degree Date: 2013
Author: Helene N. Andreassen
Dissertation Title: Schwa: Distribution and
acquisition in light of Swiss French data
Dissertation URL:
http://munin.uit.no/handle/10037/5193
Linguistic Field(s): Language Acquisition
Phonology
Subject Language(s):
French (fra)
Dissertation Director:
Chantal Lyche
Dissertation Abstract:
In adult French phonology, schwa is a separate
vowel category that either
deletes or merges with /œ/ in the output. This
thesis revolves around the
distribution, categorisation and acquisition of
schwa. We test two main
hypotheses on the basis of Swiss French adult
and child data: one, that
schwa does not constitute a separate category
in early child language, and
two, that the acquisition of schwa alternation,
consonant sequencing and
the reduction of non-prominent syllables are
intertwined.
The analysis of inter-adult judgement and
production data shows that the
distribution of schwa and /œ/ is near
complementary. The implication for
the language acquisition process is that there
are few indications in the
input that output [œ] needs to be split into
two categories. The analysis
of child-directed speech shows that the rate of
schwa alternation is lower
compared to inter-adult speech. The implication
for the language
acquisition process is that the categorical
distinction between schwa and
/œ/ is blurred in the child’s input.
The analysis of spontaneous and semi-controlled
child language data shows
that children in all ages, from 2;03 to 3;05,
prefer the output variant
with schwa. Schwa alternation in spontaneous
speech is rare, even in
children who master consonant sequencing and
syllable reduction. As for
children who do not master these aspects of
phonology, no spontaneous
alternation is attested. In a semi-controlled
setting, where the child is
exposed to the variant without schwa, the older
children, who master
consonant sequencing and syllable deletion, are
sensitive to the input and
produce the variant without schwa. As for the
children who do not master
these aspects, sensitivity to the input is low.
However, in the rare cases
where they do show sensitivity, they modify the
target form in conformity
with their current grammar.
Page Updated: 11-Feb-2014