Abstract
This study examines the correlation between Jewish/Israeli identity, pronunciation levels, the critical learning age period, and accent. The sample pool consisted of fifty Russian immigrant students and ten native-born Israeli citizens who were administered a 3-part questionnaire composed of questions relating to linguistic ability, heaviness of accent, and sense of Israeli identity. Accent was assessed by oral tests in which the participants were asked to perform various verbal tasks”such as repeating pseudo-words, pronouncing words with phonetic omissions, vocabulary tests, and listening-comprehension tests. Israeli identity was evaluated by a 23-item identity questionnaire. The findings indicate that a heavy accent is linked to a weaker sense of Israeli identity, the critical-age period also playing a central function in influencing vocabulary retention and learning skills. These parameters corresponded to the age of arrival in the country. No correlation was obtained between heaviness of accent and linguistic learning skills.
Highlights
Language is one of the key factors affecting the way immigrants integrate into their new society and culture, as numerous socio-psychological studies have suggested
When Soviet Jews emigrated to Israel in the 1970s, for example, their social and cultural ties were irreparably with their homeland cut because of the hostility between the two countries (Olshtain & Kotik, 2000). These immigrants, who assimilated into Israeli society largely by mastering the target language, stand in stark contrast to the immigrants from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) in the 1990s, who retained stronger bonds with their mother tongue and cultural heritage, because they were able to preserve close links with friends and family in their native land (Olshtain & Kotik, 2000)
We examined the affect of identification with the target society/culture (Jewish/Israeli) and mastery of language skills (Hebrew) on the heaviness of accent developed by FSU immigrants, taking into consideration that the age at which a person immigrates serves as a primary predictor of developing an accent
Summary
Language is one of the key factors affecting the way immigrants integrate into their new society and culture, as numerous socio-psychological studies have suggested. We examined the affect of identification with the target society/culture (Jewish/Israeli) and mastery of language skills (Hebrew) on the heaviness of accent developed by FSU immigrants, taking into consideration that the age at which a person immigrates serves as a primary predictor of developing an accent. Burrill (1985) examined the possibility of the existence of a ―sensitive period,‖ taking into consideration the variables of age, biology, and environment, and concluded that while no biological barrier exists preventing a person from acquiring an L2 accent, age constitutes a significant factor—possibly due to psychological effects and a lack of willingness to take chances related to identification with the outside group amongst adults In her view, adults can learn to speak without an accent and acquire phonological skills well as children, as long as they work on phonological aspects and accuracy in pronunciation. For example: ―How important is belonging to the Jewish national collective to you?‖ ―To what degree to you feel Russian?‖ ―To what degree do you feel Israeli?‖
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call