The role of L1 English speakers’ familiarity with Brazilian-accented English (L2) in the intelligibility of Brazilian learners of English (L2): a discussion on intelligibility from a Complex Dynamic Systems perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5007/2175-8026.2020v73n1p339Abstract
The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of familiarity with Brazilian-accented English (L2) in the intelligibility of speech samples when judged by native English listeners. Speech samples were collected from five native Brazilian Portuguese individuals from Southern Brazil, with a pre-intermediate level of proficiency in English. Following a Complex Dynamic Systems account (De Bot et al., 2007), this is a longitudinal study in which a group of four British listeners participated in weekly intelligibility transcription tasks, applied over the course of five weeks. This group was comprised of individuals who had recently arrived in Brazil. Results suggest that familiarity with a speaker’s L1 and accented-L2 has an effect on the intelligibility of what is heard. From the perspective of Complex Dynamic Systems, we argue that there is an alteration of a listener’s perception of his/her own language system due to exposure to it as an L2.
References
Alves, U. K.(2018). Teoria dos Sistemas Dinâmicos e desenvolvimento fonético-fonológico em uma nova língua. In: Ortiz-Preuss, E. & Finger, I. (orgs.). Um conceito e duas línguas: a dinâmica do processamento bilíngue. Campinas: Pontes Editores.
Alves, U. K., Brisolara, L., da Rosa, L. C., & Buske, A. C. (2019). Efeitos da duração do vozeamento da fricativa [z] na identificação, por brasileiros, de pares mínimos produzidos por hispânicos. Diacrítica, 32(2), 29. https://doi.org/10.21814/diacritica.449
Beckner, C. (2009), et al. Language is a Complex Adaptive System – Position Paper. Language Learning, 59(1), 1-26.
Bondaruk, P. Albuquerque, J. & Alves, U. (2018). AEPI [computer software]. Retrieved from: http://aepi.e-pi.co/
Cruz, N. C. & Pereira, M. de A. (2006). Pronúncia de aprendizes brasileiros de inglês e inteligibilidade: um estudo com dois grupos de ouvintes. Revista Virtual de Estudos da Linguagem – ReVEL, 4(7), 1-26.
De Bot, K., Lowie, W. & Verspoor, M. (2007). A Dynamic Systems Theory approach to second language acquisition. Bilingualism: Language & Cognition, 10(1), 7-21.
De Bot, K., Lowie, W. & Thorne, S. (2013). Dynamic Systems Theory as a comprehensive theory of second language development. In Mayo, M. P. G., Mangado, M. J. G. & Adrián, M. M. (Eds.), Contemporary Approaches to Second Language Acquisition (pp. 167-189). John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Derwing, T.; Munro, M. (2015). Pronunciation Fundamentals: Evidence-based perspective for L2 Teaching and Research. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Co.
Gonçalves, A. R. & Silveira, R. (2014). In search of speech intelligibility: the case of English high front vowels produced by Brazilian learners. Linguagem & Ensino, 17(2), 361-90.
Larsen-Freeman, D. & Anderson, M. (2011). Techniques & Principles in Language Teaching (3rd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Larsen-Freeman, D. (2015). Complexity Theory. In Van Patten, B. & Williams, J. (Eds.). Theories in Second Language Acquisition – an Introduction (pp. 227-244). New York: Routledge.
Levis, J. (2018). Intelligibility, Oral Communication, and the Teaching of Pronunciation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Lowie, W. & Verspoor, M. (2015). Variability and variation in Second Language Acquisition orders: a dynamic reevaluation. Language Learning, 65(1), 63-88.
Lowie, W. & Verspoor, M. (2019). Individual Differences and the Ergodicity Problem. Language Learning, 69, 184-206. doi:10.1111/lang.12324
Miyake, A. & Shah, P. (1999). Toward Unified Theories of Working Memory: Emerging General Consensus, Unresolved Theoretical Issues, and Future Research Directions. In Miyake, A. & Shah, P. (Eds.), Models of Working Memory: Mechanisms of Active Maintenance and Executive Control (pp. 442-482). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Munro, M. & Derwing, T. (2006). The functional load principle in ESL pronunciation instruction: an exploratory study. System, 34, 520–531.
Munro, M. & Derwing, T. (2015). Intelligibility in Research and Practice: Teaching Priorities. In Reed, M. & Levis, J. The Handbook of English Pronunciation (pp. 375-396). Blackwell.
Ricker, T. J., Aubuchon, A. M. & Cowan, N. (2010). Working memory. Advanced Review, 1(4), 573-585.
Scholl, A. P. & Finger, I. (2013). Elaboração de um questionário de histórico da linguagem para pesquisas com bilíngues. Nonada: Letras em Revista, 2(21), 689-699.
Schwarzhaupt, B. M. (2015) Testing intelligibility in English: the effects of Positive VOT and contextual information in a sentence-transcription task. (Master Dissertation). Retrieved from: http://hdl.handle.net/10183/131639
