Digitala Vetenskapliga Arkivet

Change search
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf
The L1 production and perception of VOT in Spanish-Swedish bilinguals: The role of age and L1 use
Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Centre for Research on Bilingualism.
Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Centre for Research on Bilingualism.
Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Centre for Research on Bilingualism.
Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Centre for Research on Bilingualism.
(English)Manuscript (preprint) (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

This study investigates the effects of age of reduced contact (ARC) and L1 use on L1 stop production and perception in Spanish-Swedish bilinguals. Results revealed that ARC had an impact on voice onset time (VOT) in the production of Spanish /p t k/, but not on the categorical perception of Spanish /p–b/, /t–d/, /k–ɡ/. While mat­uration may explain the ARC effects, it alone does not provide a satisfying expla­nation for the discrepancy between production and perception. It is proposed that perception may be less prone to change than production due to differences in acti­vation levels, as predicted by the Activation Threshold Hypothesis (ATH). Furthermore, results showed that L1 use influenced stop production, but not per­ception, especially in early bilinguals. It is concluded that early bilinguals depend on advantageous factors such as high-frequency L1 use in order to compensate for ARC effects, but only in production.

National Category
Humanities
Research subject
Bilingualism
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:su:diva-95261OAI: oai:DiVA.org:su-95261DiVA, id: diva2:659185
Projects
First language attrition in advanced second language speakers (Swedish Research Council, grant no. 421-2004-1975)Available from: 2013-10-24 Created: 2013-10-24 Last updated: 2022-02-24Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. The Effects of Age of Onset on VOT in L2 Aquisition and L1 Attrition: A Study of the Speech Production and Perception of Advanced Spanish-Swedish Bilinguals
Open this publication in new window or tab >>The Effects of Age of Onset on VOT in L2 Aquisition and L1 Attrition: A Study of the Speech Production and Perception of Advanced Spanish-Swedish Bilinguals
2013 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

This thesis explores the role of age in second language (L2) acquisition and first language (L1) attrition. The focus is on Voice Onset Time (VOT) in the production and categorical perception of word-initial L1 and L2 stops in highly advanced L1 Spanish learners of L2 Swedish. Using as the point of departure a maturational constraints perspective and the Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH), Study I examines the impact of age of onset (AO) of L2 acquisition on the production of L2 Swedish voiceless stops. The results show that there are AO effects even in the speech of highly advanced L2 learners and that the incidence of nativelike L2 learners is considerably lower than earlier assumed. However, conclusions like these are only possible when speaking rate is accounted for, thereby highlighting the importance of speaking rate effects on VOT as a measure of nativelikeness. Like Study I, Study II reveals age effects on the same L2 learners’ categorical perceptions of L2 Swedish stops. Moreover, after combining the results with the data from Study I, the incidence of nativelike behavior drops remarkably with no late L2 learner performing within the range of native-speaker production and perception. The results suggest that L2 acquisition of phonetic/phonological aspects is especially sensitive to AO effects. It is concluded that theories on maturational constraints, including the CPH, cannot be refuted on the basis of the present data. Study III concerns the same participants’ production and perception of L1 Spanish stops. Age of reduced contact (ARC) is identified as an important predictor for L1 attrition and retention of voiceless stop production, although not of stop perception. This discrepancy is related to different activation thresholds as proposed by the Activation Threshold Hypothesis (ATH). It is further suggested that early bilinguals are more dependent on high-frequency L1 use than late bilinguals when compensating for age effects, but only in production.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: Centre for Research on Bilingualism, Stockholm University, 2013. p. 55
Series
Dissertations in Bilingualism, ISSN 1400-5921 ; 23
Keywords
second language acquisition, first language attrition, maturational constraints, critical period, voice onset time, stop production, categorical perception, activation threshold hypothesis, L1 use, highly proficient L2 learners, L1 Spanish, L2 Swedish
National Category
Languages and Literature
Research subject
Bilingualism
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-94887 (URN)978-91-7447-793-1 (ISBN)
Public defence
2013-11-22, William-Olssonsalen, Geovetenskapens hus, Svante Arrhenius väg 14, Stockholm, 10:00 (Swedish)
Opponent
Supervisors
Projects
Age of onset and ultimate attainment in second language acquisition, The Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation, grant no. 1999-0383:01First language attrition in advanced second language speakers, Swedish Research Council, grant no. 421-2004-1975
Note

At the time of doctoral defence the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 1: Accepted. Paper 2: In press. Paper 3: Manuscript.

Available from: 2013-10-31 Created: 2013-10-16 Last updated: 2022-02-24Bibliographically approved

Open Access in DiVA

No full text in DiVA

Search in DiVA

By author/editor
Stölten, KatrinAbrahamsson, NiclasBylund Spångberg, EmanuelHyltenstam, Kenneth
By organisation
Centre for Research on Bilingualism
Humanities

Search outside of DiVA

GoogleGoogle Scholar

urn-nbn

Altmetric score

urn-nbn
Total: 526 hits
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf