Effect of early L2 learning on L1 stop voicing

Abstract

This paper analyzes the voiced:voiceless stop contrast in Spanish and English in the early stages of L1 English-L2 Spanish learners' acquisition. Previous research suggests that corresponding L1 and L2 categories interact in early L2 acquisition, and that L2 learning can lead to assimilatory L1 drift (Chang 2012). Four speakers' pronunciations were analyzed, for English and Spanish, during the second and sixth week of a first-semester Spanish course. It was predicted that progress toward Spanish-like VOT values might be impacted by learners' need to keep sounds in the two languages distinct, which could limit or prevent assimilatory drift. At both time points, VOTs for Spanish and English voiceless stops show that speakers are in the process of differentiating the languages. Between Week 2 and 6, learners progress in L2 and, in one case, dissimilate L1. Only one speaker shows assimilatory L1 drift. For voiced stops, the languages are not as well differentiated, but most speakers reorganize their phonetic space between Week 2 and 6 to use fewer negative VOT values for English compared to Spanish. Overall, the data indicate that learners move toward differentiating their two languages early in L2 acquisition and that L1 contrasts can impact this differentiation.