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  1. Home
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  5. Language, Communication And Culture
  7. Language Studies
  9. German Language
  11. Foreign Language Acquisition Of Perceptually Similar Segments: Evidence From Lower Sorbian.
  1. Home
  3. Research Domains
  5. Language, Communication And Culture
  7. Language Studies
  9. German Language
  11. Foreign Language Acquisition Of Perceptually Similar Segments: Evidence From Lower Sorbian.

Related Experiment Video

Foreign Accent and Forensic Speaker Identification in Voice Lineups: The Influence of Acoustic Features Based on Prosody
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Published on: September 27, 2024

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Foreign language acquisition of perceptually similar segments: evidence from Lower Sorbian.

Phil J Howson1

  • 1Leibniz-Zentrum Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft, Berlin, 10117, Germany.

Open Research Europe
|March 27, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Revitalization of Lower Sorbian is challenging as learners struggle to distinguish between similar sounds. Advanced learners with L1 speaker exposure are more successful in acquiring the three-way sibilant contrast.

Keywords:
Lower Sorbianendangered languagesforeign language acquisitionlanguage acquisition

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Area of Science:

  • Linguistics
  • Phonetics
  • Second Language Acquisition

Background:

  • Lower Sorbian, a moribund language, has a three-way sibilant contrast (/s, ʂ, ɕ/).
  • German, the dominant L1 for Lower Sorbian learners, has a two-way sibilant contrast (/s, ʃ/).
  • The phonetic similarity between /ʂ, ɕ/ and German /ʃ/ poses acquisition challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the acquisition of Lower Sorbian's three-way sibilant contrast by L2 learners.
  • To analyze the phonetic production of sibilants using ultrasound technology.
  • To contextualize findings within L2 acquisition models.

Main Methods:

  • Ultrasound technology was employed to capture tongue-palate interactions.
  • Articulatory data of Lower Sorbian learners were analyzed.
phonetics
second language acquisition
sibilant fricatives
ultrasound
  • Learner proficiency and exposure to native speakers were considered.

    • Main Results:

    • Contemporary L2 learners generally failed to distinguish between /ʂ/ and /ɕ/.
    • Only advanced learners with substantial native speaker interaction demonstrated a three-way sibilant distinction.
    • Articulatory data revealed assimilation patterns common in L2 phonology.

    Conclusions:

    • The two-to-one assimilation of Lower Sorbian sibilants poses significant learning difficulties.
    • Exposure to native speakers is crucial for acquiring complex phonetic contrasts.
    • Findings have implications for foreign language pedagogy and revitalization efforts.