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CARLA Presentation: The Acquisition of the Voicing Contrast in L2 Spanish by L1 Chinese Speakers: A Cross-sectional Study

The Acquisition of the Voicing Contrast in L2 Spanish by L1 Chinese Speakers: A Cross-sectional Study

Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Noon–1 p.m. (Central Time)

Much of what is known about the phonological development in second language Spanish is based on studies of L1 English speakers. This body of research has shown common pathways in the road of phonological acquisition; however, our understanding is limited by the lack of systematic investigation of learners from distinct linguistic backgrounds, by the scarcity of studies that include both production and perception data, and of speakers in the early and most advanced stages of L2 acquisition. To that end, this study explores the developmental patterns in the production and perception of Spanish stop consonants (/b, d, g, p, t, k/) in an uncommonly studied but growing population, Chinese learners of Spanish, at six levels of proficiency, from true beginners to near-native speakers.

The study data comes from fieldwork conducted in Spain between February and July of 2019 and includes three reading tasks, one perception task, and a language engagement questionnaire from 80 students. Based on research using mixed-effect models, the presenter will describe the L2 category formation of Spanish stops in reference to linguistic and individual factors. She will also discuss the contribution of this research to current models of second language speech.

Presenter: Celia Bravo Díaz is a PhD candidate in Hispanic Linguistics in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese Studies at the University of Minnesota. Her research focuses on second language phonology, specifically on the acquisition of the sound system in Spanish by native speakers of Mandarin Chinese.

This presentation is cosponsored by the Department of Spanish and Portuguese Studies at the University of Minnesota.

Jan 26, 2021 12:00 PM in Central Time (US and Canada)