Abstract
This paper reports on a comprehensive phonetic study of American classroom learners of Russian, investigating the influence of the second language (L2) on the first language (L1). Russian and English productions of 20 learners were compared to 18 English monolingual controls focusing on the acoustics of word-initial and word-final voicing. The results demonstrate that learners’ Russian was acoustically different from their English, with shorter voice onset times (VOTs) in [−voice] stops, longer prevoicing in [+voice] stops, more [−voice] stops with short lag VOTs and more [+voice] stops with prevoicing, indicating a degree of successful L2 pronunciation learning. Crucially, learners also demonstrated an L1 phonetic change compared to monolingual English speakers. Specifically, the VOT of learners’ initial English voiceless stops was shortened, indicating assimilation with Russian, while the frequency of prevoicing in learners’ English was decreased, indicating dissimilation with Russian. Word-final, the duration of preceding vowels, stop closures, frication, and voicing during consonantal constriction all demonstrated drift towards Russian norms of word-final voicing neutralization. The study confirms that L2-driven phonetic changes in L1 are possible even in L1-immersed classroom language learners, challenging the role of reduced L1 use and highlighting the plasticity of the L1 phonetic system.
Highlights
Cross-linguistic phonetic interaction in bilingualism and language learning is believed to be bidirectional: the earlier acquired, more established language (L1) can be affected by the later acquired, often non-dominant, language (L2)
To establish the phonetic effects of their L2, Russian, on their L1, English, we examine the acoustic properties of word-initial stops (VOT and onset f0), and word-final obstruents
Interim summary: The results demonstrated that learners were attempting to approximate Russian phonetic norms by producing (a) shorter voice onset times (VOTs) in Russian [−voice] stops, (b) longer prevoicing in Russian [+voice] stops, (c) more instances of [−voice] stops with short lag VOT in Russian than in English and (d) more instances of [+voice] stops with prevoicing in Russian than in English
Summary
Cross-linguistic phonetic interaction in bilingualism and language learning is believed to be bidirectional: the earlier acquired, more established language (L1) can be affected by the later acquired, often non-dominant, language (L2). This type of crosslinguistic interaction is known by many names: back-transfer, reverse interference, phonetic drift, and language attrition, to name a few. We define this type of interaction as phonetic changes in speakers’ L1 brought about by use of L2 and refer to these changes primarily as L2-to-L1 (phonetic) effects or L1 drift.
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