Foreign Accent Research Articles

The role of lexical context and language experience in the perception of foreign-accented segments

Abstract When faced with intelligibility problems, listeners resort to contextual information. The present study explores the use of lexical context by listeners when identifying segments with various degrees of foreign accent. Native English listeners identified words into which a single Spanish-accented segment from a 5-step continuum had been inserted. Listeners also identified vowel-consonant or consonant-vowel sequences containing the same accented segments. While lexical context helped, the lexical advantage was largely independent of degree of foreign accent, with a slight benefit only for the most accented consonants. To examine the influence of listeners’ first language on the usefulness of lexical context, a second experiment was carried out with Spanish, Japanese and Czech non-native listeners. As was the case for native listeners, there was little evidence that a lexical context helps more for foreign-accented than native segments. Normalised for word familiarity, overall non-native identification patterns were comparable to native listeners’ perceptions. Listeners’ first language phonetic inventory had an effect on identification levels, particularly in the case of vowels. Lexical context benefits for vowel identification can be explained by their generally less categorical processing, their realisational variability in English, and symbol mapping issues.

Listener Factors Related to the Perception of Accented Speech

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of the listener’s education and occupation on intelligibility, comprehensibility (ease of understanding), and accentedness in speakers of Russian-accented American English (RA), Southern-accented American English (SA), and General American English (GAE). Native English listeners ( N=126) rated various aspects of each sample presented via a questionnaire. All aspects of speech other than rate were rated highest in the GAE sample followed by the SA and RA samples. Intonation and fluency aspects of accented speech appeared to be influenced by the differences in educational or occupational backgrounds. The study also discussed additional influential factors for the perception of accented speech such as clarity, accentedness, and acceptability of speech for SLPs. This study contributes to increase the awareness of factors associated with the negative perception of regional and foreign accents.

Improving Students' Ability in Speaking Through Role Play Technique

Role-play in learning leads to a teaching-learning activity more focused on students. This research aimed to investigate the improvement of the speaking aspect in the classroom. This research was Classroom Action Research (CAR) in two cycles for 25 eighth-grade students of SMPN 1 Serawai in the academic year 2014–2015. The results showed that the mean fluency score increased from 24.20 in the first cycle to 28.88 in the second cycle. This shows that speaking is sometimes hesitant. The pronunciation has risen from 24.20 to 30.60, which indicates student’s pronunciation is in the category of not foreign accents and occasional mispronunciation but does not interfere with the understanding. The grammar component was 9.76, increasing to 13.88, indicating that the student’s grammar has occasional errors showing interference control and some pattern but no weakness that causes misunderstanding. The result of the observation and the student assessment also showed that there were improvements in the student's participation during teaching and learning activities. The researcher suggests that teachers can use this technique to help students improve their speaking and other English skills.

A Rare Case of Foreign Accent Syndrome Secondary to Cardiac Arrest

Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS) is a rare and poorly understood condition in which a patient develops a change in intonation resulting in a new foreign accent. FAS is associated with a traumatic event, especially neurologic injury. The literature suggests FAS is commonly associated with cerebrovascular accidents, though other precipitating neurological conditions are documented. To our knowledge, there is no reported case of FAS associated with cardiac arrest. Here we report a case in which a patient local to Louisiana developed a change in speech resembling a Haitian accent secondary to cardiac arrest.

Foreign accent in L1 (first language)

Abstract This study builds on Flege et al. (2006) and evaluated the influence of chronological age and length of residence in North America on degree of foreign accent in first language (L1) Korean by Korean adults and children in immigrant settings. The adult (A4/6) and child (C4/6) immigrants lived in the host countries for 4 or 6 years, respectively. Their Korean utterances were compared to those of age-matched controls in Seoul, Korea. The purpose was to examine the cross-linguistic influence of English on the degree of foreign accent in L1 Korean by the immigrants. Eighteen native-speaking judges rated four Korean utterances for overall degree of perceived foreign accent. Both adult and child immigrants were more strongly foreign accented than the controls. However, (1) stability of L1 Korean was greater (less foreign-accented) for the adult than child immigrants; and (2) there was no significant difference between the A4 and A6, and C4 and C6 groups. This suggests that by the time the Korean immigrants lived in North America for four years, they have diverged audibly from the predominantly monolingual speakers in Seoul. The results have implications for L1 maintenance/attrition and plasticity in spoken language processing.

A Visual Speech Intelligibility Benefit Based on Speech Rhythm

This study examined whether visual speech provides speech-rhythm information that perceivers can use in speech perception. This was tested by using speech that naturally varied in the familiarity of its rhythm. Thirty Australian English L1 listeners performed a speech perception in noise task with English sentences produced by three speakers: an English L1 speaker (familiar rhythm); an experienced English L2 speaker who had a weak foreign accent (familiar rhythm), and an inexperienced English L2 speaker who had a strong foreign accent (unfamiliar speech rhythm). The spoken sentences were presented in three conditions: Audio-Only (AO), Audio-Visual with mouth covered (AVm), and Audio-Visual (AV). Speech was best recognized in the AV condition regardless of the degree of foreign accent. However, speech recognition in AVm was better than AO for the speech with no foreign accent and with a weak accent, but not for the speech with a strong accent. A follow-up experiment was conducted that only used the speech with a strong foreign accent, under more audible conditions. The results also showed no difference between the AVm and AO conditions, indicating the null effect was not due to a floor effect. We propose that speech rhythm is conveyed by the motion of the jaw opening and closing, and perceivers use this information to better perceive speech in noise.

The effect of race and foreign accent on managers’ career progression

This paper investigated immigrant groups’ attributes as factors inhibiting immigrants’ career development and progression vis-à-vis local-born-mainstream-groups. Drawing on the Stereotype Content Model (SCM) of warmth and competence, we examined perceptual cues (surface-diversity) and factors that act as career progression barriers. Results revealed race (white, non-white) and accents, rather than immigrant-status, were largely responsible for perceiving barriers. Immigrant non-white managers had more limited access than immigrant white managers to informal networking, mentoring and career support irrespective of their immigrant-status. Immigrant managers did not identify perceptual biases as factors that shape their unequal access to career development opportunities, suggesting a gap between experienced and perceived bias. SCM’s interdisciplinary theoretical implications are discussed contributing to diversity management practices in international contexts.

Typed transcription as a simultaneous measure of foreign-accent comprehensibility and intelligibility: An online replication study

Following Munro and Derwing (1995b) extensive research has investigated relationships among foreign accent, comprehensibility, and intelligibility. In most studies, listeners provide scalar judgements for accentedness and comprehensibility, while intelligibility is assessed using paper-and-pencil transcription tasks. In this study, we replicate Derwing and Munro (1997) to determine the effectiveness of typed transcription for simultaneously measuring the intelligibility (via typing accuracy) and comprehensibility (via typing latency) of sentence-level utterances. An analysis of keystroke latencies revealed a significant relationship between typing latency and comprehensibility ratings, but no meaningful relationship between typing latency and accentedness ratings. Intelligibility scores were automatically estimated using Levenschtein distance and were significantly related to comprehensibility but not accentedness ratings. Results suggest that typed transcription offers an effective and efficient method of simultaneously operationalizing both L2 speech comprehensibility and intelligibility.

Impacts of language perception and attitudes in Foreign Accent Syndrome

ABSTRACT Sociolinguistic factors such as status and prestige can significantly impact the persistence of an accent in a patient with Foreign Accent Syndrome (FAS). FAS is a rare acquired syndrome that affects a speaker’s accent typically caused by a stroke or trauma. In this presented FAS case study, we explore two distinct perspectives on a shift from a Sicilian to a North-East variety of Italian accent, caused by an accident trauma. Data have been collected with an ethnographic approach to explore the patient’s narrative towards his ‘foreign accent’. Firstly, the study analyzes the perception of native listeners through a speech sample perception test of different varieties of Italian. The listeners’ responses revealed a diversified classification of the accent, highlighting the listener’s crucial role in assigning the status of ‘foreignness’ to a particular variety. Additionally, an analysis with Praat software showed that the FAS speaker used a variety with some Sicilian and North-East traits. Secondly, the study investigated the patient’s perception of their new accent through an ethnographic approach and participant observer technique. The results revealed a typology of FAS speakers that correlated with sociolinguistic factors not previously identified by research. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the complex interplay between sociolinguistic factors and FAS, demonstrating the importance of exploring FAS under various perspectives of research.

English Dubs: Why are Anglophone Viewers Receptive to English Dubbing on Streaming Platforms and to Foreign-Accent Strategies?

Accents are often utilised in fictional audiovisual products to determine the creation of character identity. This is due to the set of cultural connotations typically associated with any given accent in any given language community. However, is there really one monolingual target audience anymore? In the age of streaming platforms, and at the rate the localisation industry is creating subtitles and revoiced versions, the target audience for many products has become multilingual. The English ‘dubbing revolution’, pioneered by streaming giant Netflix, perfectly depicts the broadening of target audiences in global distribution. The subject of this article is the popularly termed ‘foreignisation’ strategy, as it features in English dubs. The strategy is explored in relation to the novelty of (English) dubbing for most viewers as well as the ubiquity of foreign varieties of English in everyday life in the Anglosphere and, consequently, in English-language original fiction. Theoretical insights are also offered on the unique acceptance of English dubbing, in general, and of foreign accents as a dubbing strategy, in particular. The case of the Castilian-Spanish dubbing industry is also explored for contrastive purposes, elucidating the characteristics of (im)mature dubbing audiences: their habits, preferences, and (in)flexibility. The conclusions present a set of hypotheses drawn from the article’s discussion that provide plausible answers to the questions posed in the article’s title.

The Pragmatics of Fiction: Literature, Stage and Screen Discourse

The Pragmatics of Fiction: Literature, Stage and Screen Discourse

Is a foreign accent a sign of bravery?

Yale law professor Amy Chua once asked, “do you know what a foreign accent is? It's a sign of bravery.” As an immigrant with a foreign accent, I find this quote thought‐provoking and interesting to consider.

Functional connectivity reveals different brain networks underlying the idiopathic foreign accent syndrome.

Foreign accent syndrome (FAS) is characterized by new onset speech that is perceived as foreign. Available data from acquired cases suggests focal brain damage in language and sensorimotor brain networks, but little remains known about abnormal functional connectivity in idiopathic cases of FAS without structural damage. Here, connectomic analyses were completed on three patients with idiopathic FAS to investigate unique functional connectivity abnormalities underlying accent change for the first time. Machine learning (ML)-based algorithms generated personalized brain connectomes based on a validated parcellation scheme from theHuman Connectome Project (HCP). Diffusion tractography was performed on each patient to rule out structural fiber damage to the language system. Resting-state-fMRI was assessed with ML-based software to examine functional connectivity between individual parcellations within language and sensorimotor networks and subcortical structures. Functional connectivity matrices were created and compared against a dataset of 200 healthy subjects to identify abnormally connected parcellations. Three female patients (28-42 years) who presented with accent changes from Australian English to Irish (n = 2) or American English to British English (n = 1) demonstrated fully intact language system structural connectivity. All patients demonstrated functional connectivity anomalies within language and sensorimotor networks in numerous left frontal regions and between subcortical structures in one patient. Few commonalities in functional connectivity anomalies were identified between all three patients, specifically 3 internal-network parcellation pairs. No common inter-network functional connectivity anomalies were identified between all patients. The current study demonstrates specific language, and sensorimotor functional connectivity abnormalities can exist and be quantitatively shown in the absence of structural damage for future study.

Perception of the English speech of Ukrainians by non-native speakers

The article presents the results of the research on the English speech of Ukrainians and its perception by non-native speakers of English. The focus is on the phenomenon of the foreign accented speech and the claim that due to interference of two or more language systems in the consciousness of the speaker, the speech, which is produced and is the result of long-term mastering of the foreign language, is imbued with a foreign accent. A foreign accent is a language learner’s speech characteristic. It has certain features on segmental and suprasegmental levels which distinguish it from the speech of the native speaker, marking its owner as a ‘foreigner’. These features are studied in order to improve further learning of the language and help learners to avoid potential mistakes that impede their communication and forge a negative image in the eye of a listener. To study the perception of foreign speech three main dimensions are singled out: degree of foreign accent, or degree of accentedness, speech comprehensibility and speech intelligibility. The degree of accentedness measures the level of the foreign accent of the speaker by the listener, which ranges from a slight accent to a strong accent. Comprehensibility measures whether the message is understood as a whole, whereas intelligibility is responsible for the recognition of specific words or phrases. Following these criteria, the speech of ten Ukrainians is analyzed by 47 non-native speakers of English. It is concluded that the lower the rate of an accent is, the higher the comprehensibility of the message gets. Although some instances of a strong accent and high comprehensibility are encountered too.

The Interaction Effect of Pronunciation and Lexicogrammar on Comprehensibility: A Case of Mandarin-Accented English.

Scholars have argued that comprehensibility (i.e., ease of understanding), not nativelike performance, should be prioritized in second language learning, which inspired numerous studies to explore factors affecting comprehensibility. However, most of these studies did not consider potential interaction effects of these factors, resulting in a limited understanding of comprehensibility and less precise implications. This study investigates how pronunciation and lexicogrammar influences the comprehensibility of Mandarin-accented English. A total of 687 listeners were randomly allocated into six groups and rated (a) one baseline and (b) one of six experimental recordings for comprehensibility on a 9-point scale. The baseline recording, a 60 s spontaneous speech by an L1 English speaker with an American accent, was the same across groups. The six 75-s experimental recordings were the same in content but differed in (a) speakers' degree of foreign accent (American, moderate Mandarin, and heavy Mandarin) and (b) lexicogrammar (with errors vs. without errors). The study found that pronunciation and lexicogrammar interacted to influence comprehensibility. That is, whether pronunciation affected comprehensibility depended on speakers' lexicogrammar, and vice versa. The results have implications for theory-building to refine comprehensibility, as well as for pedagogy and testing priorities.

Exploring phonetic predictors of intelligibility, comprehensibility, and foreign accent in L2 Spanish speech

AbstractAlthough current approaches to second language (L2) pronunciation underscore that instruction should concentrate on pronunciation features that help learners be more intelligible (and not necessarily more native like), there is little empirical evidence as to what those features are, especially in languages other than English. To address this gap, this exploratory study examined phonetic predictors of listener‐based dimensions—namely, intelligibility, comprehensibility, and foreign accent—in L2 Spanish speech. Samples were taken from 42 Spanish learners of varying proficiency while performing a picture description task, rated for global measures by 80 native Spanish listeners, coded for phonemic errors, and analyzed phonetically for pronunciation features that previous research has reported as challenging for English‐speaking learners. Mixed‐effects models were fit to the data to examine relationships between the phonetic features and the listener‐based dimensions. Results revealed that rising intonation and diphthongization of word‐final /o/ predicted intelligibility, rising intonation predicted comprehensibility, and a variety of features were associated with foreign accent. Overall, results confirmed that non‐target‐like production of L2 pronunciation, including areas known to be challenging for Spanish learners, does not necessarily lead to intelligibility and comprehensibility issues. Based on these findings, we make recommendations regarding what features should be prioritized in L2 pronunciation instruction.

The effects of student and teacher variables on anxiety, enjoyment, and boredom among Chinese high school EFL learners

ABSTRACT Recently, there is a surge of interest in a wide range of learner emotions in the SLA field, underlining a holistic perspective of language learning emotions. The present study examines the relationships between the three prevalent emotions among language learners – foreign language enjoyment (FLE), foreign language anxiety (FLA), and foreign language boredom (FLB) – and their potential correlates including a set of learner-internal and teacher-related variables among a specific sample of Chinese high school students. When it comes to the links among the three emotions, we found that FLE was negatively correlated with FLA and FLB, while FLA and FLB were positively correlated. Various learner-internal (gender, age, attitude towards the FL, attitude towards the teacher, self-perceived achievement, relative standing in class) and teacher-related variables (teacher enthusiasm, friendliness, strictness, frequency of FL use, foreign accent, frequency of joke, unpredictability) were found to be related with the three emotions to a different degree. In addition, the positive emotion of FLE was found to be more related to teacher-related variables than the negative emotions of FLA and FLB.

Chinese comprehenders' interpretation of underinformativeness in L1 and L2 accented speech narratives.

Second language (L2) speakers with foreign accents are well-known to face disadvantages in terms of language processing; however, recent research has demonstrated possible social benefits for foreign-accented L2 speakers. While previous research has focused on the ways in which first language (L1) speakers of English comprehend L2 speech, the present article contributes to this line of research by exploring the ways in which comprehenders from a different culture and linguistic background perceive L2 speech narratives. This study investigates this issue by exploring how comprehenders with Mandarin Chinese as the first language interpret underinformative utterances containing scalar and ad hoc implicature in L1, accent-free L2, and foreign-accented L2 speech narratives. The sentence judgment task with a guise design used written sentences rather than oral utterances as stimuli in order to isolate the role of intelligibility factors. The results indicate that foreign accent confers social benefits on L2 speakers in that their omission of information in communication is tolerated and they are viewed as more likely to possess positive attributes. More importantly, we find that the bilingual characteristics of Chinese participants, as well as the different linguistic complexity of deriving scalar and ad hoc implicature, affect Chinese participants' explanations of underinformative sentences of L2 speakers. This study contributes to our understanding of L2 language processing.

Online guided pronunciation practice helps adult EFL learners improve L2 prosody

This study tests the efficacy of a pronunciation course in developing advanced EFL learners’ expressive reading during a semester of online instruction. The course, designed for future English-language professionals, emphasises primacy of perception before production, the importance of noticing phonetic detail, expert and peer feedback, and context-situated tasks. The magnitude of pitch movements and reading tempo were assessed before and after the course for a trained group, who received the pronunciation practice, and a comparison group attending a course about the theory and research of foreign accents in English. Only the Trained group’s expressive prosody improved: the learners slowed down their delivery and produced the utterances with a wider pitch range. The results suggest that adult foreign language learners can benefit from pronunciation training in a distance learning environment.

FOREIGN ACCENT, IDENTITY AND ACCENT DISCRIMINATION: A LITERATURE REVIEW

FOREIGN ACCENT, IDENTITY AND ACCENT DISCRIMINATION: A LITERATURE REVIEW