LINGUIST List 30.710
Wed Feb 13 2019
Diss: Phonetics; Phonology: Georgios P. Georgiou: ''Perception and Production of Greek Vowels by Egyptian Arabic Learners of Greek as a Second Language''
Editor for this issue: Sarah Robinson <srobinsonlinguistlist.org>
Date: 26-Jan-2019
From: Georgios Georgiou <georgiou.georgos
hotmail.com>
Subject: Perception and Production of Greek Vowels by Egyptian Arabic Learners of Greek as a Second Language
E-mail this message to a friend Institution: University of Cyprus
Program: Linguistics
Dissertation Status: Completed
Degree Date: 2018
Author: Georgios P. Georgiou
Dissertation Title: Perception and Production of Greek Vowels by Egyptian Arabic Learners of Greek as a Second Language
Dissertation URL:
http://georgiougeorgios.weebly.com/publications.html Linguistic Field(s): Phonetics
Phonology
Dissertation Director:
Charalambos Themistocleous
Dissertation Abstract:
The purpose of the thesis is the investigation of the perception and production of the Cypriot Greek vowels by Egyptian Arab learners of Greek as a second language (L2). The particular group of adult learners has been taught Greek through formal education settings (schools, universities) living as well permanently in a country where Greek is dominant. Moreover, the study aims to show the effect of the pedagogical intervention (vowel instruction/training) on the perception and production of the Greek vowels by the adult L2 learners. The thesis employs the theoretical hypotheses of two models: the Speech Learning Model (SLM) and the Perceptual Assimilation Model (PAM). The present study constitutes the first cross-linguistic study which examines the perception and production of Greek segments by learners with Arabic first language (L1) background while the studies provided by the bibliography regarding the acquisition of Greek segments for non-native speakers are limited. The results showed an interference of the learners’ L1 in the L2 because it was detected a difficulty in the discrimination of the Greek contrastive vowels /i/-/e/ (only in stressed position) and /ο/-/u/ as well as inaccurate production for some Greek vowels as a result of phonological and phonetic pattern transfer from one language to the other. Within the thesis, it was identified that the relationship between perception and production was not straightforward since the excellent perception of the L2 vowels did not report a corresponding accurate production. Although PAM’s hypotheses are based on naïve L2 learners, they were also confirmed for the experimental group of this study, which consisted of experienced L2 learners. Moreover, SLM managed to predict correctly the L2 vowel productions but it did not make clear predictions about their perception. In parallel, the improvements that were observed in both perception and production of the Greek vowels by the L2 learners after the implementation of vowel training and instruction, indicates from the one hand the importance of the usage of such practices during the learning of the L2 vowels and on the other hand it works supportively for the possibility of the segment acquisition even by adult L2 learners. Linguistic findings can be also interpreted on a pedagogical basis as they can be employed for the preparation of the appropriate vowel training and instruction, with emphasis on the particular vowels or vowel pairs that seemed problematic regarding both perception and production. Since pedagogical intervention reported a positive effect on the improvement of both perception and production of the L2 vowels, it is recommended the implementation of specific phonetic and phonological awareness exercises and activities in the L2 curriculum in formal pedagogical settings.
Page Updated: 13-Feb-2019