Laboratory Phonology (May 2023)

L1 influence on the L2 acquisition of English word-final nasal place contrasts: An electropalatographic study of L1 Japanese and Spanish learners

  • Alexei Kochetov,
  • Jeffrey Steele,
  • Laura Colantoni

DOI
https://doi.org/10.16995/labphon.6434
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 1

Abstract

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Languages differ in the extent to which phonological contrasts observed in onsets are neutralized syllable finally. We examined the acquisition of English syllable-final /m n ŋ/ by L2 learners whose L1 nasal codas lack independent place (Japanese) or neutralize to a single place (Spanish). Three learning outcomes were hypothesized, based on whether learners’ production is shaped mainly by coda complexity, perception of the contrast or L1 dialectal realizations. Data from three reading tasks collected from six learners (three of each L1) and two English-speaking controls were examined using electropalatography (EPG). Linguopalatal contact patterns were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively (presence, absence, and degree of alveolar and velar closures). While difficulty in realizing place contrasts was observed with all L2 speakers, contrary to our hypothesis, the L1 Spanish speakers were less accurate than their Japanese-speaking peers, particularly in the production of word-final prevocalic /ŋ/ for which a high rate of neutralization to /n/ was witnessed. However, the Japanese learners’ greater apparent accuracy was due to the presence of non-target final devoiced epenthetic vowels and/or stop-like releases. Overall, the results provide insights into developmental stages in the acquisition of new positional contrasts, including evidence for first language and even idiolectal influence, and highlight the difficulty of blocking L1 neutralization processes.

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